Kim Fowley knows about Violet Times & The Blimp...

Met the Living Legend, the Baby Bulldog himself, last evening at the Norton Records 'Kicksville Confidential' comic book release party. GREAT comic too- i say check it out. A true hero of epic proportions in the Violet Times multiverse, he's in town to host Norton's 25th Anniversary blowout (featuring Black Lips, 5.6.7.8's, Sonics, Reigning Sound, Question Mark & The Mysterians, Cyril Jordan & Roy Loney of Flamin' Groovies, and many, many more) as well as read from his upcoming Kicks Books mindbender, "Lord Of Garbage", which will soon join other fine Kicks reads from Nick Tosches, Sun Ra, and Andre Williams on the bookshelf. Congrats to Billy & Miriam on 25 years of debaucherous rock n roll wax greatness.

I gave him a DVD copy of way below ground Psychotronic classic, 'Petertag', made by Lucas Gunn of The Blimp, as well as 'Drano' & 'Shirley' 45s, while wearing my Jimbo Easter drawn & screened Garbage River t-shirt. Epic. Now that the Ultimate Underground Animal knows about us, we can sleep contentedly at nite, right? Let's hope he likes the film too! I think if anyone can or would appreciate this flick tho, it's the Tall Cool One.

Also, in a (perhaps not so) subliminal way, and to bring things full circle, 'Petertag' can be viewed, on some level at least, as a sort of tribute to Hasil Adkins, whose "Out To Hunch" LP started it all for Norton 25 years back. Well, that's at least one potential puzzle piece to this visual vavoom.

"vintage" Mirrors 'Shirley' Hearthan 45 ad from Psychotronic Video magazine

Hey hey, a quick one. Flipping thru a back issue of Psychotronic lately that i got from the best used record shop in NYC, my eye caught this tasty bit that i thought i'd share here. Cuz it's a cool bit and even relevant to this here sput that is VTWrecks. Nothing too involved, just exactly what the title up there sez. It's how i gripped my first copy of the classic pre- punk platter and many others did as well, i'm sure. Not sure that it was this particular issue that i saw back when- think there might've been a few ad variations over the years, but i ain't pulling out my other back issues this sec. He's still got issues available of the very worthy read at his site if ya so please, pleaser. B-movie, exploitation, 'something weird' type film fans take note, ok? Cool.


Don't think he's got copies still but I've got just a very few copies of the repress left if ya need, here, and the other classic Cle proto-punk wildness that Violet Times reissued at the same time, Poli Styrene Jass Band (aka: The Styrenes) 'Drano In Your Veins' 45 which is even harder to find in its original form and equally essential to these ears, if not the mass ear. Who said the good's gone?

And while i've got yr attention people, remember- there's no "the" in "Mirrors".

Poli Styrene Jass Band - Drano In Your Veins 7" (Violet Times 103) Cleveland, Ohio 1975. Ground zero pre-punk sounds reissued

VT 103 - Poli Styrene Jass Band - "Drano In Your Veins" b/w "Circus Highlights" 7" w/ hand-stamped sleeves Two new reissued releases from VTWrecks available now. 35 years later and both these wrecks still sound timeless. Essential Cleveland, Ohio pre-punk / proto-punk sounds, these heavily dosed trax were recorded at Owl Studios in Columbus, Ohio, August of 1975 at the same session where Mirrors laid down an album's worth of trax, mostly compiled on the inaugural Violet Times release. This is what Paul Marotta & Jamie Klimek did next. On 9.20.75 the last performance of Mirrors & Electric Eels took place at a Case Western Reserve University courtyard at WRUW-FM. This was also the first show for Poli Styrene Jass Band. "The end of Mirrors, the birth of The Styrenes, and the revenge of the eels" - Jamie Klimek 

This 45 is now SOLD OUT from VIOLET TIMES.

The Styrenes 35th Anniversary Dymaxion Tour

I'm a little late in posting this, but be sure to check out The Styrenes on their Dymaxion Tour of 2010 if they're heading your way. Here's what i wrote elsewhere a few weeks ago...

THE STYRENES with PAUL MAROTTA, JAMIE KLIMEK and JOHN MORTON

4/17 @ Orion Studios, Baltimore w/ Kohoutek ("In C" performance)
4/18 @ Velvet Lounge, DC w/ Kohoutek
4/19 @ The Triple, Richmond w/ Kohoutek and two locals TBA
4/20 @ The Lab, Asheville w/ A Burning Bus (Don Howland of Bassholes, Gibson Bros)
4/21 @ Caledonia Lounge, Athens w/ Grape Soda, Tunabunny
4/22 @ Betty's Grill, Nashville w/ CYOD
4/23 @ Art Damage Lodge, Cincinnati w/ BPA
4/24 @ Empty Bottle, Chicago w/ Daily Void, John Bellows
4/25 @ Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland w/ Home & Garden (ex-Pere Ubu) and Film Strip
4/26 @ The Summit, Columbus w/ Psandwich (Ron House of Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, Ego Summit, Great Plains, etc.)

4/28 @ M Room, Philly w/ Kohoutek, My Mind
4/29 @ The Church, Boston w/ The Tampoffs, The Big Disappointments
4/30 @ Death By Audio, Brooklyn w/ Kohoutek, Home Blitz ("In C" performance)
5/1 @ Cake Shop, Manhattan w/ Kohoutek, Pink Reason, Tyvek (Cake Shop 5th anniversary show!)

(there will also be a Cherry Blossom Clinic with Terre T session at WFMU from 3-6pm on Saturday, May 1st, 2010)

http://www.thestyrenes.com

http://www.myspace.com/thestyrenes
http://twitter.com/Styrenes
( this is done by John Morton which is the best reason i've ever heard to sign up for Twitter! )

That's right, you get the main forces from both Mirrors and electric eels filling out the lineup on this tour to make this a must see

show. The rest of the lineup will be long time members, guitarist U.K. Rattay, bassist Al Margolis and drummer John Dylan Keith.

Expect "a show that spans all the bands and their history, from the early '70s to our most recent", a choice cover or two and a few overlooked gems.

The band will also have limited represses of the first Mirrors, electric eels and The Stryrenes 7" singles and other merch to be sold only at these shows. Not sure if the singles will be quite ready for the start of tour but we're hoping. West coasters and overseas will have to wait until after tour ends to buy any remaining copies.

Stay tuned right here for details on when they are available for the masses. Additionally, John Morton has been posting video reports of the tour here.