photos by PSquared Photography

Wayne Kramer and Jesse Malin @ Bowery Electric, 2/7/2012

Wayne Kramer was in NYC for the kickoff of new PBS series Lifecasters (one of the segments was about him and his wife) and he played a few songs at the premiere event at Lincoln Center on Wednesday (2/6). He stuck around the next day for a show at Bowery Electric, which was his first solo club show in NYC in 10 years. Jeremy Piven, who hosted the Lincoln Center screening, sat in on drums for The Clash's "Jail Guitar Doors" (which was written about Kramer and is the name of his nonprofit org), and the MC5 singer brought out Bowery Electric co-owner Jesse Malin to sing on it as well. For the encore, The Dictator's Handsome Dick Manitoba came out for the encore to help Kramer on the MC5 classic, "Kick Out the Jams."

More pics from the show, as well as the setlist and video of a few songs, are below.

Continue reading "Wayne Kramer played Bowery Electric w/ help from Jesse Malin, Dick Manitoba and Jeremy Piven (pics, video)"

After dropping out of the fine arts program at Wayne State University, Michael Davis became the bassist for Detroit's radical proto-punk band the MC5 in 1964, replacing original bassist Pat Burrows when singer Rob Tyner and guitarist Wayne Kramer decided that they liked Davis's style and wanted him in the band. He played on the band's three original albums, including their debut Kick Out the Jams, and remained in the the group until 1972. ...[Davis eventually] joined the Ann Arbor based art noise band Destroy All Monsters at the urging of friend Ron Asheton, of The Stooges. Davis spent seven years with Destroy All Monsters, penning the underground punk hits "Nobody Knows", "Meet the Creeper", "Little Boyfriend", "Rocking The Cradle" and "Fast City" among others. The band recorded and released on Cherry Red Records, toured the U.K., and then broke up. -[Wikipedia]

Davis was the "D" in the 2003/2004 "DKT" reunion, which saw three members of the MC5 (Wayne Kramer and Dennis Thompson were the others) reunite to perform older material and eventually reform the MC5 with "Handsome" Dick Manitoba. That lineup technically still existed until this weekend. Though Michael Davis survived a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 2006, he passed away on Friday due to liver failure. The 68-year old is survived by his wife and four children (one from a previous marriage).

Billboard talked to Wayne Kramer, Ted Nugent and others...

"Michael was a major force in shaping the sound and attitude of Detroit's foremost band of the 1960s and beyond," said Dick Wagner, whose bands the Frost and Ursa Major hailed from the same southeast Michigan scene. "The MC5 was a Detroit music leader and scene-maker, and Michael Davis played his role as foundational driving force as the band's bass player. His place in rock history is firmly held."

Wayne Kramer, the MC5's guitarist, said that, "Michael and I experienced so much together over our nearly fifty years of friendship. We shared great adventures when we were young and even had a few when we grew up. Despite life's twists and turns, and there were many, we maintained our connection. "I loved him dearly and told him so the last time we spoke."

Ted Nugent, whose Amboy Dukes tread the same territory, noted that, "The MC5 were such a powerful musical/spirit force to reckon with, and so very influential to all who witnessed their might, that it is a sad day when half of their incredible rhythm section is gone. Michael was a dedicated musician and a good man. In our Motor City musical wind, he will always be alive and kickin' out the jams."

Detroit Free Press says, "In keeping with his wishes, no memorial service is planned for MC5 bassist Michael Davis, who died Friday in a California hospital at age 68. Davis had requested that his body be cremated, and that his family someday mix the ashes with those of his surviving wife, Angela Davis."

RIP Michael Davis.

Check out some videos below..

Continue reading "MC5's Michael Davis (R.I.P.) remembered by Wayne Kramer, Ted Nugent & more "

words & photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

ZZ Top

While many designers tagged trendier (see younger) performers to appear at their Fashion Week soirees, many of which happened the day before for Fashion's Night Out, John Varvatos and show curator/drummer Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver, Guns N' Roses) stayed true to the spirit of the Bowery store located where CBGB once stood, picking a lineup that would make Wayne and Garth tremble with a lack of self worth (Mike Meyers sitting on the side of the stage with a giddy grin would seem to confirm that).

Alejandro Escovedo performed first on Saturday night (9/11), churning out garage crunch with no less than 4 guitarists blazing on the Varvatos store's small stage. Ian Hunter (lead singer of Mott the Hopple) followed and was joined by Escovedo for a performance of glam cornerstone anthem "All The Young Dudes."

To break up the boys club, former Runaways singer Cherie Currie, one of rock's more underappreciated female frontwomen, came on next. Currie performed "Cherry Bomb," the Runaways' ode to young female rebellion, with a still palpable sense of angst, proving at the same time you're never too old to stop flaunting sex appeal (and to fit into leather corsets).

The Darling Stilettos

Taking a cue from the icon that preceded them, the night's youngest performers, The Darling Stilettos (think rock's answer to the Pussycat Dolls), danced and felt each other up in all the right places while screaming classic rock covers (and one original tune) like over-sexualized banshees.

There were new groups from established rockers as well. New York icon Jessie Malin performed with his latest musical collective The St. Marks Social, and recently formed rock super group Black Country Communion, consisting of former Deep Purple frontman/bassist Glenn Hughes, blues guitar god Joe Bonamassa, and prodigal son Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) gave a sneak preview of some of the heavy tracks from their upcoming self-titled debut.

After a brief pause, Los Angeles superstar cover band Camp Freddy settled in as the house band for the remainder of the show, welcoming on stage a revolving door of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alumni as the evening catapulted upward in intensity. Some played covers, like ZZ Top (who were in town to play two nights at Beacon Theatre) evoking the spirit of Hendrix with "Foxy Lady" and Perry Farrell aggressively launching into the audience during "Sympathy for the Devil." Others did their own songs, like MC5's outspoken guitarist Wayne Kramer urging the crowd on during "Kick Out the Jams" with help from Handsome Dick Manitoba, or Alice Cooper being diabolically stylish while performing "I'm 18" and "School's Out."

By the time Farrell ended the night with Jane's Addiction's "Mountain Song," the Varvatos store crowd had finally reached the feverish level of turbulence one would expect for such a night. In fact the performers throughout the night consistently displayed more energy than the predominantly younger audience. For an event full of aging rockers, it really just felt like a riotous gathering of all the young dudes.

The crowd was full of familiar faces as well. Chris Brown, Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Matt Pinfield were among those getting their picture taken on the red carpet and mingling with the fashioned-out crowd. Iggy Pop (who played Don Hill's the night before) and Robert Plant (who played Bowery Ballroom the next day) were nowhere in sight though. More pictures and some videos from the whole night below...

Continue reading "ZZ Top, Perry Farrell, Alice Cooper & many more played John Varvatos' 10th Anniversary @ the Bowery store (pics & video) "

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club played the Fashion Week party at Don Hill's on Thursday. Iggy Pop and The Stooges played there Friday, and according to the above Tweet by Eli Mizrahi, Courtney Love is playing there tonight.

Eli's Tweet also reminds us that tonight is the John Varvatos's 10th Anniversary party in the store previously known as CBGB. There will be a concert from: 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Supposedly confirmed performers include Alejandro Escovedo, Alice Cooper, Wayne Kramer, Ian Hunter, ZZ Top, Black Country Communion, Camp Freddy, Cherie Currie, Darling Stillettos, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Jesse Malin & The St. Marks Social, and Perry Farrell . Rumored performers include Iggy Pop and (thanks John) Robert Plant (who plays Bowery Ballroom Sunday).

Who else is playing fashion week parties tonight?

photos by Lori Baily, words by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Alejandro Escovedo - Silver Cloud (MP3)

Alejandro Escovedo & Tony Visconti @ Bowery Electric

Alejandro Escovedo played two NYC-area shows this past week. The gigs followed his appearance on David Letterman Wednesday night (video below), and both featured their own special guests.

At the Wednesday night (7/21) Bowery Electric show, the guests were appropriate considering the venue: the East Village bar attracted a host of neighborhood regulars - some better prepared than others (crib sheets littered the stage). The on-stage friends included Ivan Julian (of Richard Hell & the Voidoids), Garland Jeffreys, "Handsome" Dick Manitoba, Bowery Electric owner Jesse Malin, Amy Cook, Kristeen Young, Tony Visconti (who also turned up at Alejandro's City Winery shows), James Mastro, Nicholas Tremulis and Fiona McBain. Alejandro Escovedo's new record, Street Songs of Love, stood up through the diverse interpretations: from Kristeen Young's octave-jumping belting to Ivan Julian's snarling drawl. Though the show's tightest moment caught Alejandro locked in with his band, the Sensitive Boys, like on the show-opening "Always A Friend," from his previous album, Real Animal. For the encore, a swamped stage worked through the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" and Mott the Hopple's "All the Young Dudes."

After the set, the band and friends hung around upstairs to catch themselves on Letterman. Our photographer Lori Baily hung around too, and her pictures from the entire show are below.

Two nights later (7/23), Alejandro invited a different guest up on stage for his show at New Jersey's Stone Pony. Bruce Springsteen joined for their Street Songs duet ("Faith"), an Alejandro song covered by the Boss in the past ("Always A Friend") and (like at Bowery Electric) "Beast of Burden."

Check out "Silver Cloud" from the new album, posted above. Videos from NJ & Letterman, and more pictures from NYC, below...

Continue reading "Alejandro Escovedo & special guests played Bowery Electric, Stone Pony (w/ the Boss) & Letterman (pics & video) "

Iggy Pop & the Stooges in Toronto for NXNE 2010

Iggy Pop and the Stooges played a free show in Toronto's Yonge-Dondas Square on Saturday June 19th, as part of the city's NXNE Festival. The show was controlled chaos in the middle of a very public section of the city that NXNE took over with a big outdoor stage for the duration of the festival. It would be like having a free, public Stooges show in the middle of Times Square, or Union Square, or at South Street Seaport even. The pictures here are from that crazy and amazing show (and are part of our slow drip of coverage from the fest...still more to come!).

The Stooges will be in the NYC-area for their Raw Power set at ATP NY over Labor Day weekend. They'll also be in Atlantic City on August 27th.

For the ATP NY show, Iggy and MVD Entertainment Group are running a contest for six winners to videotape the Stooges' set and interview Iggy at Kutscher's. To enter, you have to send in an HD-quality video with either questions for Iggy,or some kind of stunt as to why you should win. In addition to the ATP prize, the "fan shot footage, along with the contestant video submissions, will be crafted into a high definition longform program, which will be part concert film and part reality TV show about the journey of the fans." Part cool, part creepy. More details on the contest, and a video explaining it all featuring "Handsome" Dick Manitoba, are below.

In related news, Barney's New York will soon start selling Iggy Pop t-shirts that are part of the Archive 1887 collection...

"Archive 1887 t-shirts are made in Los Angeles from 100% cotton and feature artwork sourced from Sony Music's exclusive archives as well as the private collections of music's most important photographers. Each shirt comes with an online code that can be entered at www.archive1887.com to unlock a streaming playlist of the classic artists' music as well as background information on the images. Archive 1887 is sold at better department stores and specialty boutiques across North America as well Europe and Asia."

Iggy will help celebrate the t-shirt launch by making an appearance (a non-musical appearance) at Barneys Co-Op (236 West 18th Street Between 7th and 8th Ave) on Wednesday, July 28th. That said, I am not 100% sure if the event is open to the public (though the hours make it seem like it would be)... the event is private.

And in other related news, The Stooges have added three more songs to Rock Band (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii). As of July 20th you can get "1969", "I Wanna Be Your Dog", and "No Fun" so you can be Iggy Pop in the comfort of your living room.

More pictures, video and the setlist from the completely mobbed NXNE free show (where many lost their shoes), and more contest details, below...

Continue reading "Iggy Pop (and the Stooges) played NXNE (pics), going to Barney's, playing ATP (interview him there), in Rock Band..."

"Joey Ramone (May 19, 1951 - April 15, 2001), born as Jeffrey Ross Hyman, was a vocalist and songwriter best known for his work in the punk rock group the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon." [Wikipedia]

Joey Ramone's 58th-birthday bash is tonight (May 19th) at Irving Plaza. Acts on the bill for that include Fishbone, Supersuckers, Death, Uncle Monk (with Tommy Ramone) the Friends Of Joey and more. Included among the Friends Of Joey will be Richie Ramone, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Jean Beauvoir and others. Tickets are still on sale.

The event will also be the unveiling of new tracks from the forthcoming posthumous Joey Ramone solo record. In other Joey Ramone news, the singer's induction award to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was re-presented to his estate at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex in NYC, and accepted by Mickey Leigh and Tommy Ramone, on Thursday, May 14th, after mistakenly being left off the program in the original 2002 ceremony.

Coming up, Tommy Ramone and Handsome Dick Manitoba, who will be at the birthday bash, are speaking with Lenny Kaye (of the Patti Smith Group and more) and Chris Stein (of Blondie) at "LOUD FAST JEWS! A Summit with Four Jewish Fathers of Punk" on Thursday, June 11th at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (15 West 16th St). Tickets to that event are on sale. More info below.

Catch Chris Stein this summer with Blondie, as the band tours alone and with Pat Benatar and The Donnas. All three will play the tour's NYC stop, a free show on August 13th at Coney Island's Asher Levy Park.

Also coming to NYC is Gods and Monsters' 20th anniversary show, scheduled for NYC's Gramercy Theatre on June 11th. The band, helmed by guitarist Gary Lucas, will be joined by guests that include Lenny Kaye. Tickets are still on sale.

Uncle Monk, Tommy Ramone's indie-bluegrass band, has scattered shows in NYC and elsewhere coming up. The band plays June 10th at Banjo Jim's and June 21st at Local 269. More dates below.

Joey Ramone's B-Day bash poster, Loud Fast Jew info, and a video of the Ramones' initial induction ceremony, also below...

Continue reading "Joey Ramone would be 58 today, party in NYC tonight ++ other Ramones / Blondie / Manitoba / Kaye appearances "

Celebrating what would have been the 58th birthday of punk icon Joey Ramone, the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash will take place Tuesday, May 19th at The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza. Mickey Leigh, event organizer and brother of Joey Ramone, has announced that, as part of the 9th annual Bash, fans will be treated to a special advance sneak peek listen to rough mixes of never-before-heard Joey Ramone solo recordings. Various producers, including long-time Ramones producer Ed Stasium, are currently preparing tracks for a full album worth of material, slated for posthumous release at the end of the year.

This year's headliners are Fishbone and Supersuckers. The spectacular party will conclude with The Friends Of Joey featuring Richie Ramone, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Jean Beauvoir, Ivan Julian, George Tabb, Al Maddy and Mickey Leigh. Also appearing are Death and Rough Francis (both bands were the subject of a feature story in the New York Times on March 12), Uncle Monk (featuring Tommy Ramone), Bebe Buell, and Tom Clark & The High Action Boys. As the audience enters the venue they will once again be greeted by musician Tracy Thornton, playing Ramones songs on the steel drum. And, in what has become a Birthday Bash tradition, Sean O'Sullivan's Punk Pipers will round out the night on the bagpipes. The fete will be emceed by Matt Pinfield and Peter Aschner. Additional surprises are expected at the evening's events...Net proceeds from the Bash go to support the Joey Ramone Foundation for Lymphoma Research.

Tickets are on sale now. The annual event, organized by Joey's mom and brother, has been happening since 2001.

Videos from the 2008 party, below...

Continue reading "2009 Joey Ramone Birthday Bash lineup & new album info "

Iggy Pop supports Michigan State University's decision to ban animal circuses from campus in 2009 and hopes the school will make the ban permanent.

"As students who are concerned about animal welfare have told you, performing animals are deprived of everything that is natural to them, including the ability to roam, forage and form families and friendships," Pop said in a letter to the MSU Board of Trustees. It was written on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA says the board of trustees decided not to allow the Royal Hanneford Circus (or any others with animal performers) on campus in 2009, for the first time in 16 years. But what about 2010?

"The circus industry is big, wealthy and powerful, and I'm sure that its leaders are encouraging you to reverse your decision," Pop said in his letter.

"I implore you to continue to keep the interests of your students and the welfare of animals at the forefront of your thoughts and stand firm on your policy." [Detroit Free Press]

Neko Case takes a similar stance on zoos.

Iggy, who has a new near-jazz record on the way, is confirmed to appear at the previously-mentioned Road Recovery Benefit happening at Nokia Theatre in NYC on May 1st...

An evening of high-energy rock and roll that's going to be "just loose enough musically that anything might happen," jokes Wayne Kramer... Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/ Audioslave / The Nightwatchman), Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Wayne Kramer (MC5), Don Was, Billy Bragg, Iggy Pop, Boots Riley, Gilby Clarke, Carl Restivo, Eric Gardner, Bun E. Carlos, Handsome Dick Manitoba performing songs together and individually from their respective catalogs, as well as collaborating on MC5 songs and anything else that strikes their fancy

Also joining the show will be Joan As Police Woman, Ours, Miggs, and Road Recovery's Performance Workshop Program "House Band" Crazy James
Emcee: Matt Pinfield (Sirius Radio and RXP 101.9FM DJ)

Tickets are on sale.

Joan as Policewoman opened for Neko Case at the same venue on Tuesday.

Kick Out the Jams (video) below...

Continue reading "Iggy Pop playing Road Recovery show, speaks up on circuses"

Richard Reinhardt (a.k.a Richie Beau, Richie Ramone) (born August 11, 1957) is an American drummer best known for his work with the punk rock group the Ramones.

Before working with the Ramones he drummed with Velveteen, and is also reported to have drummed with Annie Golden's band The Shirts. He joined the Ramones on February 13, 1983, at a show at Utica, New York, after second drummer Marky Ramone was fired. He took part in the Subterranean Jungle tour of 1983, where he signed autographs as "Richie Beau", which was the name he went under whilst drumming with Velveteen. [Wikipedia]

Richie recently lost a copyright infringement lawsuit against Wal-Mart, Apple, and Real Networks. Richie will NOT be appearing at the upcoming Joey Ramone birthday bash. Those who will are listed below....

Continue reading "Joey Ramone's 2008 birthday lineup, Richie Ramone's lawsuit "

last night (April 17, 2008) in NYC....

More than a few special guests (and I don't mean the protesters) showed up to the opening party/benefit inside the John Varvatos store (aka CBGB) on the Bowery last night (April 17, 2008). All photos by Randy Haecker, and there's more where they came from at his Flickr.

A lot of these guys were in town to play a different benefit show the night before.

"We make to-do lists, shopping lists, wish lists...but somehow our lists just don't ROCK. The ones in this new book do....The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists is the handiwork of Handsome Dick Manitoba of the Dictators and Amy Wallace of the original Book of Lists. They're billing this book as "Essential bathroom reading!!!! " but we like it at the breakfast table, actually. We loved learning how about The Pogues got their name and what Mario Batali's favorite pizzas in the world are. (What does that have to do with punk rock? According to this tome, pizza is the MOST punk rock food of all.)" [beatrice]

* Market Hotel opens
* Joakim plays Studio B
* Freak's Ball VIII @ Southpaw
* Gallows play Bowery Ballroom
* Kaiju Big Battel @ Webster Hall
* Early Man plays Knitting Factory
* RIP, Tony Silver, director of Style Wars
* Sick of It All is at Highline Ballroom
* No Age & Liars are playing Warsaw
* Godspeed You! Black Emperor (R.I.P)
* Siouxsie Sioux is at Irving Plaza
* NYC fans feels snubbed by Siouxsie Sioux
* Richards, Jagger throw stones at Winehouse
* Osbourne offers Winehouse post rehab sanctuary
* Visa Vetoed, Winehouse Goes to Grammy Satellite
* Should You Watch Sunday Night's Grammy Awards?

I have two copies of "The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists" to give away. E-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: punk) if you want to win one. Two winners will be picked and contacted. What else?