The King is Back! Long Live the King!

Dex and his sis have a new record out, which is grounds for huge excitement around these parts, if only to signal the possibility of another tour and to suggest the man's relative good health. One never knows. Big Sis Sara was the drummer for Let's Active and Snatches of Pink, and if memory serves the love interest in the Replacements' song, "Left of the Dial," so put that in the gee whiz file. Oh, and buy the damn record. Nobody does it better than Dex.

Richard Yates Loves the Suburbs, Too

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

No matter how many of your stupid friends tell you the best ribs are on some corner of San Pablo Ave., they are fucking wrong. Those folks are the equivalent of music fans convinced that no blues played after the war is authentic, or that a gig at The Omni (can't we pool funds and bring this place back?) is a sellout to true metal.

The best bbq is in Lafayette, CA. Accept this fact. Bo's is the winner. Pricey, yes, but the king of tenderness and understanding. I know the suburbs suck the vibe out of your ambience needs, but put on dark glasses and join me for some fine eats.

I think we should book a lunch for March 21, the first day of spring, and put a little hope in our bellies.

You won't have Leah Garchick to kick around anymore...

Troubled San Francisco paper in danger of closing

Tuesday February 24, 6:16 pm ET

San Francisco Chronicle to be sold or closed if owner can't lower expenses dramatically
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The owner of the San Francisco Chronicle will sell or close the daily newspaper if it can't dramatically lower expenses within the next few months.
The Hearst Corp., which owns northern California's largest daily newspaper, didn't specify a savings target in Tuesday's grim announcement. But the New York-based company said the cost cutting will require significant layoffs.

After years of struggles, the San Francisco newspaper's troubles have worsened amid the longest recession since the early 1980s. Hearst said the Chronicle lost $50 million last year and is hemorrhaging even more money so far this year.
Several other struggling newspapers around the country are also on the sales block, have filed for bankruptcy or are facing a possible shutdown.

Strong.

There is a new sherriff in Tinseltown.

The Catatonics - South Bend, IN circa 1995

I recently took the time to revisit the experience of forming my first band, The Catatonics, back in 1995. My friend Ted has been chronicling the South Bend, IN "scene" that spawned Ted Leo and Sweep the Leg Johnny and the many, many bands that were supporting castmembers. Here is my contribution, which I hope you will find entertaining even if you don't know any of the personalities or other bands involved:

Ted has been asking me to write the story of the Catatonics since before he started South Bend Power 90s. Of course, I can see why. We were fucking awesome but there are probably only about 10 people who even remember we existed. I am tickled these songs are going to be up on the site and want to thank Ted for giving me the opportunity to spew about the Catatonics experience:

I came to the Midwest from sunny Oceanside, CA. In retrospect going to Notre Dame was a dumb idea, but I was also a Republican at 17 years old when I made the decision so there you go. I brought my skateboard with me and though I was not very good at riding it I quickly fell in with the 3 other people (on a campus of 8,000 undergraduates) who owned skateboards and we were very excited to know each other. Andy Yang, who faithful SBP90s readers will recognize as the distinctive presence behind the $90 drum kit on Obstruction and the Go-Lightly's recordings, was one of the other skateboarders. He was also from Southern California and like myself had come of age with a hackneyed So Cal jockpunk soundtrack. These early freshman days were really awkward. I actually considered myself straightedge when I hit campus and was making a concerted effort to enjoy that unlistenable strain of hardcore. Andy and I were both sort of confused, but we knew we loved punk rock and oldies and we found ourselves in an uptight Catholic Midwestern private school environment very dissimilar to what we had grown up used to. My reaction was to be sort of a lame provocateur.

The rest of the story, with photos and our entire 6 song discography available to download, is here:

http://southbendpower90s.blogspot.com/

Wrong again

I now do not believe I am capable of offering an opinion on a band until I have listened to them for at least a month. Case in point: Black Time. I blasted these guys last year, but their new lp Double Negative is the shit. Just a masterpiece of distorto blues and negative creep vibe. Listen to this with a clear head and open mind. It will impress.

Also currently enjoying the Guilty Hearts latest Pearls before Swine, The Hunches' Exit Dreams, a Strange Boys 45 entitled Isn't it Pretty and Pirate Love's Black Vodoun Blues. 2009 is starting off very solid.

Don't Leave the House

Rainy Days are for Records

Fred McDowell- I Do Not Play No Rock n Roll

Ike Turner and His Kings of Rhythm- Rhythm Rockin' Blues

Brother JT3- Jelly Roll Gospel

The Olympics meet The Marathons

Andre Williams- Greasy

Dave Clark 5- Greatest Hits

The Sonics- Here are The Sonics

Charles Caldwell- Remember Me

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds- Abattoir Blues

Metallica- Death Magnetic

The Man in the Tower

Everything is going wrong, and now my ipod will not take songs from itunes.

Why won't the fucking things sync? Is this a metaphor?

I can see the tower and me in it. You all look like targets. Somebody needs to solve this problem before I become a Giraldo episode.

My favorite Ostler story of the year

"Lewis' love for music led to a gravy train of golf. As a wise man once sang, "That's the power of love." For Lewis, the Bay Area's No. 1 golf bum, the bumming has never been better. "

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/12/SPN715S4EK.DTL

Do You Like The Rock? Oh yeah.

Upcoming Shows (Courtesy of KUSF)

Feb 20 Andre Williams Slim's

Feb 21 The Pets Hemlock Tavern

Feb 26 The Oh Sees/ Tyvek Café Du Nord

March 8 KUSF Rock N Swap McLaren Hall (USF Campus)

LUX- RIP

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11634029

Eddie Van Halen Considering New Tunes With David Lee Roth

Eddie Van Halen has a few milestones coming up this year. First, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer will wed his fiancee, Janie Liszweski, in June. Then, he'll attend the high school graduation of his son -- and bass player -- Wolfgang. But after that, Eddie hopes to release new music with the current incarnation of the legendary band that bears his name. And, as he tells Spinner, yes, that includes David Lee Roth."Dave, Wolfie, Alex and I are a band," he tells Spinner in an upcoming Spinner Interview. "I hope that after Janie and I get married, and Wolfie graduates, that we sit down and discuss recording new music, which I have tons of. If Dave's up for singing ... then do another tour, and just see where it takes us. Actually, next week or the week after Wolfie, Alex, and I are gonna start jamming. Maybe we'll give Dave a call and see what he's up to. He's off, always doing his own thing, and he checks in every now and then to see how we're doing."Meanwhile, Eddie Van Halen just released his signature Fender guitar series, titled, appropriately, Wolfgang -- a line he personally oversaw for more than two years. A cap and gown: $48.50. A rock icon-designed guitar bearing your name? Priceless.