Thursday, December 8th, 2005
New Deal Keeps N.Y. Punk Venue CBGB Open
By LARRY McSHANE, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - The legendary punk venue CBGB, known as the launching pad for influential bands such as the Ramones and Talking Heads, announced an agreement with its landlord Wednesday to keep the club's doors open through October 2006, when it must move.
CBGB's lease expired in August, with the landlord announcing it wanted the club out after a five-year fight. But Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office helped reach an agreement that avoided a court battle with the Bowery Residents Committee, a homeless advocacy group that owns the lease on the property.
"It's been little stipulations, back and forth — we agreed, we didn't agree," said Hilly Kristal, the grizzled owner who opened CBGB in 1973. "We finally got to a point where we agreed with each other."
BRC executive Muzzy Rosenblatt said the agreement would let his group "concentrate on helping the needy and homeless of New York City."
The BRC is a nonprofit that houses 250 people above the club, and CBGB is its lone commercial tenant.
The new agreement boosts the rent at the world-renowned rock club to a near-market price of $35,000 a month — up from the old deal's $19,000. It requires Kristal to leave the dingy space by Oct. 31, 2006.
Kristal said he's already looking for a new location in lower Manhattan and also is considering opening a branch in Las Vegas.
"Things are different all the time — look at the '70s, the '80s, the '90s," Kristal said. "The most important thing is we're keeping the integrity of CBGB's. It won't be exactly the same, but it will have the same ingredients."

Click here to see the actual article...
CBGB: http://www.cbgb.com/


Monday, November 21st, 2005
Link Wray: Native-American Rock Guitar Instrumentalist has died, 76 years of age.
It is with the deepest sorrow that we have to inform Links dear fans that our beloved husband and father Link Wray has deceased November 5. 2005
In respect of Links wishes, he was buried in silence and privacy from the historic protestant Church: Christians Church in Copenhagen Denmark, Friday 18th of November 2005. with attendance of his family Olive and Oliver Wray.
Link passed away in their arms, safely in his home in Copenhagen, not ever aware that his heart was getting tired. This was the way he had told us, he wanted it.
Born May 2nd, 1929 in Dunn, North Carolina, Link is three quarters Shawnee Indian. At the age of eight, he learned to play the guitar from Hambone, an african-american man who was travelling with Barnum and Bailey’s circus. He noticed Link on the porch banging his Maybelle-guitar.
At the age of fifteen, Link paid twenty dollars a night to sit in with the country and western musician Tex Ritter (High Noon) in order to further his musical knowledge. He also played with Wild Bill Elliot.
Link played with his brother Doug and first cousin Shorty Horton in his band: Link Wray and the Wraymen.
He played at the Hank Williams memorial in 1953.
Link is known for his instrumental hit single Rumble. And to quote Uncut magazine, who voted Link #33 of the 100 best guitarist list in the World as the composer of the worlds most threatening instrumental: “The violent intimations of Rumble so struck sensitive late 50s sensibilities that it was banned by many radio stations. Not bad for an instrumental. Rumble will outlive us all”.
Link Wray is known for being the first musician to experiment with the sounds that pioneered rock and roll and punk styles. Link virtually invented fuzz tone by deliberately punching holes in his amplifier speakers. He was also a true pioneer of the use of distortion on instrumental rock recordings.
In the spring of ’58, Rumble was released and quickly rocketed to the top 20. Voted the #1 Rock Instrumental of all time by the Book Of Rock Lists (Dell/Rolling Stone Press)
It was a 4 million seller.
Again in 1959 his single hit Rawhide sold 1 million.
Link himself was influenced by, and admired guitarists like: Tal Farlow, Chet Atkins, Django Reinhard, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Frank Zappa and artists like Elvis Presley & Hank Williams.
Off today’s musicians he admired: Neil Young, Bob Dylan, David Gilmour, David Bowie, and Bruce Springsteen among others.Link was a musician’s musician:
Elvis Presley invited him home in the 50s.
Bowie, Dylan, Van Zandt and Springsteen attended Links concerts since their early youth.
John Lennon carried Links music on his travel jukebox.
Jerry Garcia played on Links record in the 70s.
Pete Townsend wrote liner notes.
In the mid 70s Link was recording in England with Richard Branson at his Virgin Records.
2004 presidential candidate John Kerry’s college band album featuring the senator as bassist was re-released to the public featuring a version of Rawhide.
Link’s original sound is timeless, as evidenced by the inclusion of many of his guitar instrumentals in some of the best motion pictures of the last decade. Some of these releases include:
Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino)
Desperado, (Robert Rodriguez) as well as in Road Racers (Robert Rodriguez)
Independence Day, (Steven Spielberg)
Confessions of A Dangerous Mind,
Breathless,
12 Monkey’s & Blow.
The legendary film composer/writer/arranger Jack Nitzsche released a big band recording of Rumble complete with a full horn section.
Sadly Link was cheated out of his 50s music-rights, although he never signed them over to anyone.
Link was always laughing about it though, because he knew and always told us that anyone could hear it was his sound.
Link fell in love with Olive Julie Povlsen, a Danish student of Native American culture, in 1979 and has been living privately in Denmark since 1980 with her, and their son Oliver Christian Wray, born in 1983. Link appointed Olive manager in 1981.
Until that day he had been managing himself. From the late 90s she has also played percussion with him on tour.Link’s impact has been felt throughout almost every genre of music for the last five decades. His original sound influenced future styles like: Country, Instrumental music, Rockabilly, Rock and Roll, Surf, Heavy Metal, Punk, Grunge, Garage, Lounge etc.
Since the mid nineties, Link and Olive has toured all over the US, playing for audiences aged 18 and up. Although some of the youngest fans weren’t completely familiar with many of his earliest hits, they remained strongly drawn to his devotion, love of music and true original sound.
Link toured to the very last.
This year he toured America playing 40 concerts. The two last festivals of his tour were in California in July: Hootenanny & Glendale Cruise Night, Link headlined both.
Link Wray has to this day respected and had nothing but devotion towards his fans. While playing his guitar he often told the audience: “..God is playing my guitar, I am with God when I play”.
We saw you go with God, you were smiling.
You will forever be in our hearts.
Olive & Oliver Christian Wray
visit: http://www.linkwraylegend.com
And http://www.WraysShack3Tracks.com/


Tuesday, November 8th, 2005
Barbara Pittman - Gone at Age 67
Portions of this article courtesy Stephen D Price & Memphis Commercial Appeal
Rockabilly singer Barbara Pittman never had a smash hit, but could occasionally find work performing. The Sun Records and Phillips International recording artist's popularity in Europe remained constant, and she last performed in England in March.
"She made her living singing. I never knew Barbara to do anything else," said Pittman's sister, Carlene Day of Arlington.
Pittman died at her Memphis home Oct. 29 of heart failure. She was 67. Best known for the classic "I Need a Man," Pittman was born in North Memphis. Her mother was friends with Gladys Presley and Pittman and Elvis Presley knew each other as children. Early in their careers, the young singers one night stayed up late taking publicity photos of each other. "They were up to 3 in the morning," Day said. "She got in trouble with Mama for that. She said, 'But Mama, it's Elvis.' Mama said, 'I don't care who it is.'"
Pittman began thinking of a singing career when she won a high school talent contest, Day said. As a child, Pittman spent time at her uncle's pawn shop on Beale Street, where she listened to jam sessions with B.B. King.
When she was 10 or 11, she auditioned for Sun Records, only to be told by Sam Phillips to come back when she learned how to sing. Later Phillips would be impressed by a demo she cut, "Playing for Keeps," and recorded her first session at Sun in 1956, according to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame Web site.
Other singles followed, including "No Matter Who's to Blame," "Two Young Fools in Love" and "I'm Getting Better all the Time." John Singleton, president of Sun Entertainment in Nashville, said Phillips used mostly male singers but liked Pittman.
Barbara did several shows for the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Memphis and one in Las Vegas during the past 5 years. Sadly, she was often overlooked when the Memphis area Sun Tribute Shows were put together. She especially enjoyed joining Ace Cannon's band on stage for a song or two.
Day said her sister had a good sense of humor and "could tap dance. She could do anything." After that trip to England in March of 2005, Day said her sister's health declined. A memorial service was held Saturday, November 5th at Family Funeral Care in Memphis.
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame will soon host a special tribute page for Barbara where fans, friends and family may share their thoughts about her life and career. Send your tribute for Barbara now - to: Bob Timmers.


Friday, September 16th, 2005
Say goodbye to the Revival Preachers

Hello Good People,
It is with great sadness that I’m announcing that The Revival Preachers have decided to call it quits. Our guitarist, Damian Puerini has decided to pursue other musical opportunities. Zack, Shaun and I agree that his brilliant guitar playing was a crucial part of the Revival Preachers, and without Damian we could not nor want to continue as a band. We feel that over the course of our existence we have met some really incredible people, played some amazing shows, and released an album that we are very proud of. In addition we started out as four individual musicians, learned much from each other, created great music and became good friends. It was a great run and we are happy that we’re at least going out on top. We have decided that will finish up by playing all of our scheduled shows in October and our last show will be at Jake’s Bar & Grille in Providence, RI on October 22nd. We are also hoping to add one last show at one our favorite bars, the Blue Comet in Glenside, PA. So we’ll keep you posted. We want to have as much fun as we can until it’s over, so we hope to see you at some of the remaining shows. Damian has decided to continue playing with one of our favorite RI bands, the Wrong Reasons. They are getting an amazing guitar player and we wish them all the best. We’ll keep you posted of any projects that Zack, Shaun or I will be working on. Thank you for all the incredible support you have given us and we wish you well. We had an amazing time…..

Jason Berndt – The Revival Preachers


Thursday, September 1st, 2005
Landlord Won't Renew Lease for CBGB Club

NEW YORK - As hundreds of people joined guitarist Steven Van Zandt in a raucous rally of support for venerable punk club CBGB's, the club's landlord announced Wednesday that a decision had been made - its lease would expire at midnight and it would not be renewed.
The Bowery Residents' Committee, landlord of the building where the club opened its doors 32 years ago and gave the stage to the Ramones and Blondie, "believes it is in the best interest of our clients - the homeless and neediest New Yorkers - to sever this relationship," executive director Muzzy Rosenblatt said.
The statement from Rosenblatt called for CBGB's to "vacate the premises both voluntarily and expeditiously."
It was a scenario that appeared unlikely. Van Zandt and others promised a battle to the end on behalf of the bar that launched punk rock.
"We're not going without a fight," said Van Zandt, who was joined by "Sopranos" co-stars Tony Sirico and Joe Pantoliano. "If the eviction proceedings start tomorrow, which I hope it doesn't, we'll fight it in the courts."
The rally was aimed at putting public pressure on Rosenblatt. But while Gavin Rossdale was leading his new band, Institute, through a rollicking version of "Machinehead," the decision on booting the club had already been made.
Even the hardy CBGB supporters at the rally, where Public Enemy and Blondie also performed, seemed resigned to the club's demise.
"It doesn't look hopeful," said Lucky Pierre, 26, a New York University student. "But we'll keep the fires burning until the last minute."
An increasingly frustrated Van Zandt blasted Rosenblatt for the inability to reach a new agreement. The E Street Band guitarist, "Sopranos" star and radio show host entered the negotiations about six weeks ago.
The club's owner, Hilly Kristal, also wasn't backing down, and he had acts scheduled there throughout September.
"We intend to stay," he declared. "This is not a eulogy. There's no reason why we shouldn't come to an understanding."
It was Kristal who started the club in December 1973, creating a space that eventually spawned such acts as the Ramones, Blondie and the Talking Heads. The club eventually gained an international reputation as the birthplace of punk.
Some of the club's supporters at the rally echoed '70s fashion statements, sporting green hair, safety pin earrings and black Ramones T-shirts.
Among them was 45-year-old Rochelle Goldman, who was wearing a "Save CBGB" T-shirt complemented by assorted CBGB's wristbands dangling from both arms. "People say it's a museum, but I'm still going there," she declared. "I'm an old punk."
Rosenblatt's group - an agency that aids the homeless - holds a 45-year lease on the building and houses 250 homeless people above the club. CBGB is its lone commercial tenant. Their rent feud dates back five years, when the committee went to court to collect more than $300,000 in back rent from the club.
The current rent is $19,000 a month, although that figure was expected to at least double under any new lease. The club's landlord-tenant woes were reminiscent of the fight over The Bottom Line, the vintage Greenwich Village club that closed in December 2003.
CBGB won a legal decision earlier this month when a Manhattan civil court judge ruled that the club couldn't be evicted for a bookkeeping mistake that left Kristal about $100,000 behind in his rent.
Not even the intervention of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who offered to mediate the dispute, could resolve the problem. Bloomberg said he hoped to find CBGB's a new location in the city.


Wednesday, August 31st, 2005
From Jason, Wet Floor Records...
Most of you know my best friend Gene from either The El 'n' Gee Club or The Bank Street Cafe. He has always gone out of his way to lend a hand to anyone or any band that needed help. It's your turn to pay back his hospitality! Sadly, hurricane katrina destroyed his family's home in New Orleans this week. his family is safe but he needs to go home for at least a month or longer. On Sunday, September 18 the Bank Street Cafe will be hosting a show with all money going to help Gene get home to take care of his family. We need to raise enough money so that Gene can take care of his rent and utilities for at least two months and have money for the trip. The bands will be anounced within the next day or two but regardless please attend. If you can't attend please make a donation via paypal to jason@wetfloorrecords.com, please put Gene in the comment box.
This is not a benifit show rather this is our way of paying back a guy who does nothing but good things for people. He's got enough good Karma to send him to heaven, we just need to send him to New Orleans. For the time being he knows nothing about this event. He will be bartending that night so pay to get in and tip him lots.
Jason
"My friends look out for me like family"


Wednesday, August 10, 2005
The Rockabilly Revue Weekender in Shreveport, Louisiana is CANCELLED!!!
A letter from Shere Homer...
From the beginning, I wanted to do something good for rockabilly and its artists, to get the genre more exposure and hopefully gain an even larger
fan base. I had the best of intentions, but unfortunately things didn't go as well as I had planned. I apologize to everyone. I really wanted the festival to not only happen but for it to be a success. I was hired as a booking agent and promoter. I worked on a contingency basis, which meant I would get paid at the end. It was more important for me to see the festival and documentary happen. The company that I worked with did not live up to their end of the bargain. They were supposed to handle the financial end of things: to make sure the artists and hotels were paid, the Municipal's fees were covered, and anything else that might need paying for. They assured me that whatever it took, the project would take place. I took that trust and was able to convince the artists to participate. Unfortunately, in the process a lot of people were disappointed. I was lucky that I got a lot of free publicity. I appreciate everyone who helped in regard to that, whether it was postings on websites, handing out flyers, or by word of mouth. I did not know that there wasn't any money for the project until it was too late.
A month before show time didn't allow me enough time to find sponsors on my own. I have learned from this experience. I found out a lot of things about
people. I perhaps am a little too trusting. I hope I get another chance to promote a festival, and I assure everyone that if I get that opportunity I will make sure that there is money up front (an actual budget), and I will make sure I know what I am going to get paid instead of taking someone's word. This has not soured me on rockabilly, not at all. I will continue to support it, promote it, and most of all love it.


Tuesday, August 9th, 2005
Gene Vincent's Blue Caps Reunite for October "Bop Street" Show!

Pictured L-R: Johnny Meeks, Tommy Facenda, Dickie Harrell. It's been a while since the boys have played Gene's music together on stage. But all three remaining active "Blue Caps" are ready to perform at the 1st Annual Gene Vincent Tribute Show in Van Nuys, Calif., Saturday, October 15, 2005. Along with the star-filled evening show, there will be a special VIP Tribute Service at Gene's grave site during the day, October 15th. See the BOP STREET PAGE for current up to date information.


Friday, July 29th, 2005
Johnny Carlevale and the Broken Rhythm Boys in the news!
http://providencephoenix.com/music/top/documents/04848842.asp


Friday, July 8th, 2005
SOTA TOYS PRESENTS JOHNNY CASH!
Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.”
SOTA Toys is proud to present an icon of American Music - Johnny Cash
Approx. 7 inches tall, this figure is based off the classic photo of Johnny Cash "walking the line" from the Fall of 1969, at the height of Cash’s popularity when his records were outselling even the Beatles! The figure will have articulation as well as a guitar and base.
Look for the first of SOTA Toys’ Johnny Cash figures in late Fall 2005.


Tuesday, July 5th, 2005
Singer "Big" Al Downing dead at age 65
NASHVILLE, Tenn. --"Big" Al Downing, a singer-songwriter and pianist who had success in country, rockabilly, rhythm and blues, rock 'n' roll and even disco, has died after suffering from leukemia. He was 65.
Downing, of Leicester, Mass., was hospitalized last week and died Monday in Massachusetts, his publicist Martha Moore said Tuesday.
He was one of the few successful black country artists.
Born in Centralia, Okla., Downing grew up listening to country music and learned to play piano at a young age.
He began his career as a keyboard player in rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson's band, performing on Jackson's biggest hit, "Let's Have a Party."
As a solo artist, he and his band the Chartbusters charted two rock songs in 1964. A soul duet with Little Esther Phillips made the charts in 1963, and a disco record charted in 1975, according to the Country Music Association's Encyclopedia of Country Music.
Downing returned to his country roots in the late 1970s and had moderate hits with "Mr. Jones" and "Touch Me (I'll Be Your Fool Once More)."
Downing, a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, performed "Mr. Jones" on the Grand Ole Opry in May.
Over the years, his songs were recorded by Fats Domino, Bobby Blue Bland, Tom Jones and Webb Wilder.
Downing is survived by his wife of 27 years, Beverly, and four stepsons.
Funeral services will be Saturday in Spencer, Mass.


Wednesday, May 25th, 2005
Hey y'all!
I want to send a huge thank you to everyone that voted for me for "Best Local Radio Personality" in the 2005 New Haven Advocate Readers' Poll, because I won second place!!!
This is for all of New Haven County, including powerhouse commercial stations such as WPLR and WKCI!!!
Thanks again for voting and helping put GO KAT GO! and WNHU on the map!!!!

You can read all about it in the "Best Of" issue Volume 2, which is on the stands now, or just click on the image above & scroll down to the 2nd category!

Thanks again for all your support!
Michelle Terranova


Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Rockabilly Artist Hasil Adkins Dies
MADISON, West VA
Rockabilly artist Hasil Adkins, a one-man band whose screaming vocals and freestyle approach to rhythm landed a cult following, has died.
He was 67.
Adkins' body was found yesterday at his Madison home, where he lived alone. The cause of death has not been determined but it does not appear suspicious.
Guitar, harmonica, drums, foot-rhythm instruments - Adkins played them all.
Known to his fans as The Haze, Adkins struggled for decades to get noticed. In a 2002 interview, he said he mailed out thousands of tapes and records over a 30-year period while fishing for a record deal.
Adkins was the original star of Norton Records, a label built around the primal recordings he produced beginning in the Eisenhower era.
Adkins claimed to have written more than seven-thousand songs. He first emerged in the 1950s, only to disappear again. European fans kept the rockabilly rage alive, and when the Cramps did an early 1980s remake of "She Said," Adkins' records suddenly became hot again.
His other hits included "Poultry in Motion," "Chicken Walk," "The Hunch," "Chocolate Milk Honeymoon," and "Boo Boo The Cat."


Monday, April 11th
Mode Merr hits the runways of NYC!
Click here to view the story...
For more pictures from this event, check out the pictures section!


Thursday, March 17th 2005
SAVE CBGBs: EAT MORE CHOCOLATE: MAY, 2005
NEW YORK - Winner of the 2004 Timeout New York Eat Award for “Best Chocolate Store” and New York’s candy store for grown-ups, Chocolate Bar celebrates CBGBs: Home of Underground Rock with limited-edition products dedicated to saving Manhattan’s cultural institution. For more than 30 years, the eternal downtown nightclub has with ragged pride, served as the incubator for much of the punk and art-rock which came out of New York over the last thirty years including The Ramones, Patti Smith, Television, Blonde and The Talking Heads. Founded in 1973 by Hilly Kristal, the now grandfatherly 73-year-old converted a Hell’s Angels hangout into one of the most famous venues for live music and in doing so established a New York City landmark. Debuting this May, 2005, Chocolate Bar, in collaboration with Hilly Kristal unveils two edible lines of CBGB products including the CBGBs Punk Rock Box ($25.00); a 16 piece truffle collection embossed with the pioneering history and iconic imagery of CBGBs illustrious music scene. Served in a chocolate brown box, hot-stamped with the venues famed logo, it comes complete with a postage-paid petition to save CBGBs, a record-shaped biography, steel logo keychain and a collection of CBGB stickers. CBGB Retro Bars ($3.00 each); Inspired by those colossal flavors from late-night, post-show snack attacks, discover pure 1970 nostalgia with two new retro flavors. Each is wrapped in a limited-edition CBGBs keepsake, weighs an impressive 2.25 ounces and comes complete with a postage-paid petition to save the venerable venue. Chocolate Bar is located at 48 Eighth Avenue between Horatio and Jane Streets. Consumers can pre-order CBGBs product for delivery anywhere in the U.S. by calling 1.800.481.2462 or by visiting www.chocolatebarnyc.com.


Wednesday, February 16th 2005
AGNOSTIC FRONT FEATURED ON MONSTER GARAGE!
Agnostic Front will be performing music from their latest release, Another Voice, which hit streets on January 25th, on an episode of Discovery Channel’s Monster Garage.
Jesse James hand-picked Agnostic Front to perform live while an all-star team of builders turn a 1929 Ford Model-A into the most insane hot-rod to see the light of day. To ensure this street-rod has East Coast flare, the work takes place in the Big Apple and Agnostic Front's stomping ground.
February 21, 2005 at 9:00 PM & 12:00 Midnight
Network: DSC
Series: Monster Garage
Episode: NYC Hot Rod

CBGB is facing the prospect of shutting down when its lease expires in August and its annual rent could reach nearly half a million dollars.
Read the story here: http://nypost.com/news/regionalnews/40710.htm


Sunday, February 6th, 2005
C/O Rolling Stone Magazine
Country singer and songwriter Merle Kilgore, 70, died of congestive heart failure on February 6th in Tijuana, Mexico. Kilgore was best known for co-writing the 1963 Johnny Cash hit "Ring of Fire" with June Carter Cash. Kilgore also worked briefly for Hank Williams and went on to manage William's son Hank Williams Jr. "Merle was more to me than a manager," said Williams Jr. "He was a father figure, he was a mentor, he was my business advisor. Bust most of all, Merle Kilgore was my best friend."


Friday, February 5th, 2005
Top Stories
In reversal, WNHU will not air public radio programs
Joe Amarante, Television and Radio Editor
02/05/2005

WEST HAVEN — University of New Haven officials have decided against the hot-button proposal to air key news programs from Connecticut Public Radio’s WNPR on its own WNHU-FM, it was announced late Friday.

The decision was made after weeks of mostly hostile reaction to the plan and after UNH President Steven Kaplan met with more than 100 students about it this week. The students laid out their opposition to the plan, which would have seen weekday morning- and afternoon-drive WNPR programs run on WNHU (88.7).

Scores of students, alumni and community volunteers made their feelings known to Kaplan and Hank Yaggi, general manager of the radio station on the West Haven campus, after the plan became public in December.

One editorial in the student newspaper, The Charger Bulletin, supported the plan that was laid out to some managers in mid-December. But several students, volunteers and alumni felt the move would not serve students or community and was being rushed into effect while students were on winter break.

Yaggi called that assertion "outrageous" and "absolute non-sense." As late as last week, he was defending the plan (which also included internships at WNPR and other news training) by saying that, "No student who is qualified through training here will be denied a time period of this radio station."

But Friday’s decision went the other way. Not ruling out such a move in the future, the two offi-cials announced in a release that they decided that "the time is not right to enter into a relationship with WNPR to broadcast morn-ing and evening news shows."

Mark Maturo, the student program director, said the sta-tion’s "integrity and soul in the community has been kept intact, as it has been for the past 30 years."

Craig Mortali, an ESPN pro-ducer and former student man-ager of WNHU, said, "I’m most pleased as an alumni who cares a lot about the station. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without WNHU."

Mortali, who along with for-mer GM Dick Gelgauda and sta-tion veteran Jim Abbott met with Kaplan in December to oppose the plan, said, "My overriding thought was that we don’t want outside people (from WNPR) coming in to try and fix our problems" at WNHU.

Students apparently defended the eclectic contributions of community members in talks with Kaplan, whose statement read in part, "The students made a clear, convincing case why the community DJs also contribute to their real-life learning in the stu-dio and we hope to continue relying on them to provide pro-gramming. Kaplan announced that he has asked UNH Provost Blake Cherrington to appoint an advisory board to help guide the development of the station. The creation of the advisory board was one of the main recommenda-tions of a Strategic Planning Task Force on WNHU that met two years ago.

That task force, which in-cluded Mortali and Gelgauda, issued a final report on March 18, 2003, that recommended not only the advisory board and better student training, but that WNHU not accept the WNPR offer to link up (something talked about back then, too).

"The answers are in the re-port," said Mortali. "We just think they should give it a chance."

©New Haven Register 2005

View the article here...


Wednesday, February 2nd, 2005
Character Driven Productions and Sheree Homer proudly announce commencement of principal photography on “The History of Rockabilly”, which is a 5 part documentary series chronicling the history of the Rockabilly musical genre, the artists who pioneered and performed in the genre, the artists who were influenced by “Rockabilly”, the impact it had on pop culture and music, and its current renaissance both here and abroad. This is a very entertaining and ambitious series that is laden with great music, entertaining and informative anecdotes, tributes and interviews with the artists from the genre and artists they influenced, great archival footage and material and contemporary footage of artists past and present, both here and abroad. This is the definitive piece on the music and its artists. In conjunction with the series, we will be filming a number of live performances with artists from the past and present and artists they have influenced.
Live performance footage and interview clips will be exhibited each month starting in late January, 2005 at www.characterdrivenfilms.com.


Monday, January 31st, 2005
http://strangedave.worldbreak.com sadly reports:
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (A.P.)
Ray Peterson, whose 1960 hit "Tell Laura I Love Her" exemplified the teen tragedy song popular in early rock 'n' roll, has died. He was 65.
Peterson, who was known as "The Golden Voice of Rock 'n' Roll," died Tuesday at his home in Smyrna, a Nashville suburb, officials at Woodfin Memorial Chapel said. He had been suffering from cancer.
Peterson's version of "The Wonder of You" reached the top 30 in 1959, and Elvis Presley later hit the pop charts with a cover version.
But Peterson's signature hit was "Tell Laura I Love Her," which reached No. 7 on the Billboard chart.
The recording was a best-selling example of the"teenage tragedy" subgenre that included "Teen Angel" and "Leader of the Pack.""Corrina, Corrina" was Peterson's last major commercial success, but he toured for years after. He opened for the Beach Boys in several foreign countries and was a supporting act on their "Summer Safari" tour of 1964.


Monday, January 17th, 2005
Hey all!
Follow this link to a quicktime movie of Rhythm Bound!, a compilation of 10 years of playing rockabilly music for the fine people of NYC and the world....
THANKS ROCKABILLY FANS!
http://homepage.mac.com/whitelightstudio/rhythmbound/iMovieTheater27.html
Tom, Rich, Brian, and Jeff

Seems they used a couple pictures that I took from a GO KAT GO! show at Cafe 9 in the montage!
Check it out!
- Michelle, GO KAT GO!


Friday January 7th, 2005
The Freakatorium, RIP


Thursday January 6th, 2005

Radio Free West Haven
Why is WNHU hopping into bed with NPR?
by Mark Oppenheimer - January 6, 2005

If its management gets its way, WNHU, the radio station of the University of New Haven, will later this year begin offering six hours a day of National Public Radio programming, Monday through Friday: Morning Edition from 6-9 a.m., All Things Considered from 4-6:30 p.m., and Marketplace from 6:30 to 7. The contracts between WNHU and Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Inc., have not yet been signed, but, as the Register has reported--and as many of you know from getting alerts in your e-mail--people are already teed off. Students, DJs and other activists are circulating petitions, and their basic question is this: Why are local and student DJs being pushed aside for national programming?

Before I rule on the wisdom of WNHU's proposed move, I want to separate fact from rumors. Having spoken to WNHU general manager Hank Yaggi, DJ Jeff Terranova, DJ and student Mark Scialabba, and Kim Grehn, the vice president of radio for Connecitcut Public Broadcasting, Inc. (CPB), here is what I've learned:

WNHU pays nothing for the NPR shows. Connecticut Public Broadcasting, which owns the licenses for four public radio stations in the state (including the powerful WNPR, but not WSHU, which New Haven gets more loudly and clearly), wanted to get more coverage west of New Haven, along the shoreline--West Haven, Milford, places like that. So they struck a deal with WNHU, which will air the premier news programs, gaining listeners for Connecticut Public Broadcasting (and gaining donors at pledge-drive time).

Connecticut Public Broadcasting will pick up the tab, paying $1,000 a year to NPR for the right to air three programs on WNHU. Depending on how many new listeners WNHU gets, that $1,000 could be adjusted "up, maybe toward $30,000 or so," according to Connecticut Public Broadcasting's Kim Grehn. This is still a bargain for Grehn's people: CPB pays about $600,000 for the NPR programming it airs on WNPR, WPKT, WRLI and WEDW.

What do WNHU and the University of New Haven get out of this deal? First, they'll get more listeners, tuning in to hear NPR shows. And some of those listeners will keep the dial on 88.7, hearing shows like Go Kat Go (rockabilly), the Diamond Cut Xperience (reggae and dancehall), and Polka Time (music for my dead grandma). How many new NPR listeners will tune in to the other shows is, of course, anybody's guess.

Second, WNHU will get the perks of being an NPR station. WNHU producers will be able to produce for NPR; WNHU reports could be picked up by Morning Edition and the other shows.

Third, University of New Haven students will get internships at Connecticut Public Broadcasting, where they'll be able to learn radio and television production (CPB also runs the state's local PBS programming). And CPB employees will offer occasional seminars at the university, according to station GM Hank Yaggi.

Finally, Yaggi says, the university will get publicity. "The university has not gotten what it could from the radio station to reveal the extent and breadth of the intelligence of the people coming to speak here," he says. He's trying to change that, by airing radio features with guests who come to speak on campus. "When I came here, we did a program after the Democratic convention with the dean of the school of arts and sciences. We did a piece working with Hadassah Lieberman [the senator's wife] on Holocaust Remembrance Day. [Former Yugoslavian dictator] Tito's granddaughter came to campus--the station aired an interview with her." With NPR affiliation, the University of New Haven will be able to promote campus guests not just on WNHU, but also on every NPR affiliate in the state.

All this, Yaggi says, at the low, low cost of sacrificing six hours a day of local programming--30 hours a week, out of 140 hours that WNHU is on the air.

I am all for people in Hartford knowing about New Haven-area appearances of Sen. Lieberman's wife and Marshall Tito's granddaughter. (Question to Tito the younger: Are you proud of Grandpa?) But at what cost? Giving away the prime real estate of morning and afternoon drive-time radio on WNHU? Less jazz and big band in the morning, less college rock, rap and reggae in the afternoons?

I believe that Hank Yaggi is sincere when he says this is a win-win situation. He really wants to help the communications and journalism departments give graduating students the skills that will get them jobs; he believes that these CPB internships will help.

But isn't that exactly what WNHU is supposed to do--give UNH students job skills in radio and journalism? What's more, if WNHU really wants students to have jobs when they graduate, shouldn't it be working against the radio consolidation that shrinks career opportunities in radio? The more NPR stations carrying Steve Inskeep and Renee Montaigne, the fewer jobs for Anti-Emo Jeff and Geometric and the Wild Women.

I fear that Yaggi, the former president of Channel 8, the local ABC channel, seems to sell his own station short. WNHU has been training DJs for thirty years now. Students have been learning by doing, and by studying in the school's communications department. There's no need to outsource his students' education--especially by joining a consolidation regime that hurts his own students' job opportunities down the line.

As for raising the school's profile, announcing those UNH intellectual fora to listeners across the state, I wonder if that is the proper goal. UNH is never going have the well-attended lectures of, say, Yale or Wesleyan. It just ain't. But it has something else: a wicked-good college radio station, with a fairly strong signal. And that's pretty cool.

This isn't a done deal yet, folks. CPB's Grehn says he hopes it will be a go "sometime this spring." Which means it could be stopped. To complain, call University of New Haven president Steve Kaplan at (203) 932-7000. If they get a lot of calls, they may start screening by asking what you're calling in reference to. Have a lie handy.

Meanwhile, I asked Kim Grehn, "If the deal falls through, will WNHU students still be able to get internships at Connecticut Public Broadcasting?" His reply: "They might. Depends on the talent pool." A chance worth taking, I say.

©New Haven Advocate 2005

View the article here...


Thursday December 30th, 2004

WNPR says UNH plans benefit community
Joe Amarante, Register Staff
12/30/2004

WNPR-Connecticut Public Radio officials, in defense of plans to air public radio programs during the morning and afternoon drive slots on the University of New Haven FM station, WNHU (88.7), said the change would benefit students and the community.

Some station members have objected to the proposal, saying it will be repetitive and crowd out some of WNHU’s eclectic shows, but Carol Sisco of WNPR said it’s a win-win situation with a big educational element.

"It’s a proposal at this point, but there’s a lot of benefit here. … It offers opportunities for both organizations, said Cisco, vice president of corporate communications.
WNPR News Director John Dankoski said he looks forward to helping students learn how to produce local news for WNHU. The training would take the form of seminars and internships.

"We’ve spoken to the student news director and some other news folks and they’re excited," Dankoski said.
"They would get an affiliation with a professional organization that does radio."

As outlined in the Register this week, WNHU General Manager Hank Yaggi would like to air WNPR’s "Morning Edition" from 6 to 9 a.m., "All Things Considered" from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and "Marketplace" from 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Monday through Friday. Weekends would not be affected.

Opposition concerns are summed up by this e-mail from a WNHU listener, who noted the value of such programs as Scott Whipple’s Tuesday morning jazz show and said, "The airwaves are filled with multiple stations playing NPR chatter.

"I am also a fan of the ‘Go Cat Go’ rockabilly show, punk rock, and the Irish music shows as well as the late evening blues show that is on Monday nights," said listener Keith Henderson. "My 17-year-old son is a huge fan of the various alternative music forms, especially death metal. It is the only way he can hear this music and find out about new artists, which I thought was the point of college radio."

On Wednesday, Harold Kramer, WNPR’s vice president of business development, said some of WNHU’s good shows don’t get good ratings and he thinks WNPR’s "promotional impact" can help with that.

Yaggi did not say which shows would be moved or discontinued.

The uncertainty has local show hosts, such as Jeff Terranova of "The Anti-Emo Empire," concerned.
He said he understands the university is looking for exposure and prestige, but thinks the timing of the plan is bad (students have gone home for break) and it seems "like more of a marketing tool for the university as opposed to something beneficial to listeners and students."

Terranova said music fans are losing six hours a day of airtime and his big fear is that amount will increase.

"To me, true college radio is being eaten up left and right," he said. "The giants (Clear Channel and Cox among them) have bought up everyone else already."

As for benefits to WNPR, officials there said that WNHU’s audience would be a new (and potentially younger) one for Connecticut Public Radio. In addition, the signal of the station would help WNPR’s programs be heard in spotty areas such as West Haven and north into the Valley.

Kramer said it is hardly a case of WNPR taking over a college station, as some have charged. He said WNPR can help WNHU managers with membership lists, audience research and fund-raising plans.

"It’s about community service," Cisco said. "That’s what engaged us all here."

The confusion on the part of listeners comes in the fact that WSHU-FM in Bridgeport and stations in New York also air public radio programs but aren’t part of the CPR family of signals (WNPR’s main transmitter is at 90.5 in Meriden). WNPR for years has had a similar part-time deal with college station WECS-FM at Eastern Connecticut State University.

"There’s a lot of competition on the left end of the dial for public radio," Kramer admitted. "But we don’t do the same programming" as non-WNPR public stations.

He mentioned WNPR’s "robust coverage of the state capitol" as an example

.©New Haven Register 2004

View the article here...


Wednesday, December 29th, 2004
Legendary guitarist Hank Garland dies

By RON WORD, Associated Press Writer ORANGE PARK, Fla.

Legendary guitarist and musician Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland, who performed with Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Marty Robbins and Patsy Cline and many others, has died. He was 74. Garland died Monday evening at Orange Park Medical Center from a staph infection, his brother, Billy Garland, said.
Family members said Garland's memorial service will be private.
In the 50s and 60s, Walter "Hank" Garland was the talk of Nashville, known for musical riffs that could take a recording from humdrum to dazzling, as he did on Elvis hits like "Little Sister" and "Big Hunk of Love." He also pioneered playing jazz in the country music capital.
Four decades after an auto accident almost killed him and ended his music career, Garland spent the final years of his life fighting ill health, trying to pry royalties out of record companies and talking with Hollywood about a movie based on his life.
"He is heralded as a quintessential Nashville studio guitarist," noted musician Wolf Marshall in an e-mail interview earlier this year.
In addition to performing with Elvis and other stars in Nashville, Garland was at the forefront of the rock 'n' roll movement; enjoyed a prestigious career as a country virtuoso, pioneering the electric guitar at the Grand Ole Opry and inspired jazz instrumentalists such as George Benson.
His detailed session logbook reads like a "Who's Who" of the stars of country music - Brenda Lee, Web Pierce, Bobby Helms, Kitty Wells, Johnny Horton, Mel Tilis, Ray Price, Marty Robbins, Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, Hank Snow, Porter Wagner, Boots Randolph, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams.
Garland worked with Elvis from 1957 to 1961, and was playing on the soundtrack for the movie "Follow That Dream" when in September 1961 his
1959 Chevy Nomad station wagon crashed near Springfield, Tenn., throwing Garland from the car and leaving him in a coma for months. That, along with a series of 100 shock treatments administered at a Nashville hospital, left him a shadow of his former self.
Billy Garland claims the crash was no accident, but an attempted hit by someone in the Nashville record scene.
Hank Garland had to relearn everything from walking to talking to playing the guitar.
A native of Cowpens, S.C., Garland began playing guitar at age 6 and radio shows at age 12. He was discovered at a Spartanburg, S.C., music store at 14, where he went to buy a guitar string.
Paul Howard, leader of the Arkansas Cotton Pickers, heard Hank's playing and was impressed. He took Garland with him to Nashville, but child labor laws soon put his professional playing days on hold until he was 16.
When he returned, he set the country music capital on fire.
He had his first million-selling hit at 19 with "Sugar Foot Rag," a legendary country tune.
In 1954, along with his close friend, Billy Byrd, Garland invented a short scale neck guitar for Gibson Guitars. In honor of the two, the guitar was known as the "Byrdland."
In 1960, Garland recorded what he claims was the first jazz album ever done in Nashville, "Jazz Winds from a New Direction."
"He was born with talent," said Garland's brother Billy. "A God-given talent."


Wednesday December 27th, 2004

SAVE WNHU

The University of New Haven administration has recently announced its plans for NPR to be broadcasted during the morning and afternoon drive times of WNHU. This was done behind the backs of the student and community staff of WNHU, without their knowledge and without their input. This plan is in stark contrast with the goals and concepts of WNHU.

WNHU exists to serve the community. How can nationally syndicated programming that is already broadcasted on at least 7 other radio stations in our market help the community? It can only hurt the community by decreasing diversity on the radio dial and decreasing the speech of one of the few community radio stations in our area.

WNHU exists to serve the students. How can reducing the times students have to work on the radio station help in any way? It can only hurt the students by keeping them off of their radio station.

WNHU is almost entirely student funded. The equipment and upkeep of that equipment comes from the student government money, money that comes directly from the students. The students do not want their equipment used for the broadcast of NPR and should have a say. The money allocated by the student government for upkeep and purchase of radio station equipment was not intended for the use of furthering the cause of NPR, it was intended for the students.

The university decided to keep their decision to bring in NPR to the student radio station secret until the beginning of winter break. This is a blatant attempt to keep any student dissent from being heard, as most students will not be around during the winter.

In an age of unprecedented media consolidation in the United States, the need for independent voices in the media is greater than ever. Radio is essentially the last localist media because of its relative cheapness and wide scope of audience. Consolidation in the radio industry has happened rapidly following the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Radio is now dominated by two commercial entities (Clear Channel and Viacom) and a “public” counterpart, National Public Radio.

With NPR’s heavy reliance on corporate sponsors, there is nothing public about it. It is part of the problem of media consolidation. NPR has worked against the licensing of low-power FM radio stations to communities through out the US. These shameful actions have been anti-democratic, harmful to radio diversity and fueled by arrogance and an intense fear of competition.

There is nothing public about NPR and NPR will not serve the community. How can the staff of community members of WNHU not serve the community infinitely better than nationally syndicated corporate sponsored radio?

We are asking for the community’s help.
Please e-mail hyaggi@newhaven.edu (Hank Yaggi, WNHU general manager),
SKaplan@newhaven.edu (Steve Kaplan, UNH President),
JSchuster@newhaven.edu (Julian Schuster, UNH Communications Dept)
and send mail addressed to
Communications Dept
University of New Haven
300 Boston Post Rd
West Haven, CT 06516


Wednesday December 15, 2004
Free Casino Party Bus to Mohegan Sun This Sunday!
UltraRadio.com's next Casino Caravan to Mohegan Sun is this Sunday, December 19. Come see the casino decorated for the holidays and enjoy a free show from BR549 in the Wolf Den! R&R Over Land Travel Services will pick us up at BAR, 254 Crown Street in downtown New Haven after a special Casino Bus Pre-Party from noon-2pm. At the casino, you get a free all-you-can-eat buffet and $20 in instant win tickets. Plus, the bus will be stocked with Smirnoff's brand new Twisted V! 21+ only. It's all FREE, but space is limited. You must reserve a seat. Log onto UltraRadio.com's Events Page for more details!


Monday November 22nd, 2004
Geoff Kresge has joined the HorrorPops as their new guitarist, following the recent departure of Karsten. Kresge most recently played upright bass in Tiger Army from a period spanning 1998 to 2004. Prior to that he was the bassist for AFI from '92 to '97. Of course both HorrorPops and Tiger Army are psychobilly acts signed to Hellcat Records, so it goes unsaid that Geoff and his new bandmates share a past history and friendships. This statement is posted on the HorrorPops website...

Let me start by saying I'm excited and incredibly honored to be the new guitarist for HorrorPops! When I was asked to join, I kept waiting to be asked if I was any good as a guitar player, but no one ever asked! Because of that, I felt flattered to have been asked to join the band based on my long-standing personal friendship with members of the band and not solely because of my ability as a musician and songwriter. There aren't many bands - if any - that would take a chance like that. For all anyone knew, I could have been a total hack of a player - but I was "in the band" before they heard me play a single note!

I'd like to say that I don't feel like I'm replacing Karsten. I see it like this: Karsten has left the band and I have joined the band. I've always had a thing about the way new band members are seen as "replacements". I think that's a negative point of view. How can you "replace" a person? I've always seen lineup changes from a different perspective - maybe because I have joined so many bands after a member has left / been asked to leave! I liked what Karsten brought to HorrorPops as a guitarist, just as I liked what Caz contributed to HorrorPops before that. I hope I can follow in their footsteps and contribute as much to the band as they did in my own way.
Hell Yeah!
GK


Tuesday November 9th, 2004
The Road Agents Rockabilly Rumble '05 Dates have been set!!!
Friday, July 15th and Saturday, July 16th, 2005...mark them in your calendar now!
Get more information here: http://theroadagents.com/Rumble%2005.htm


Tuesday, October 26th, 2004
Legendary BBC DJ John Peel Died
JOHN PEEL 1939 - 2004
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3955289.stm


Tuesday, October 19th, 2004
Bomp's founder, Greg Shaw, dies

"I guess I'd most like Bomp to be remembered as a label utterly dedicated to the people who care most about music: the fans and collectors."
--Greg Shaw 1949-2004
We have some very sad news to report-- Bomp's founder, Greg Shaw, died on Tuesday, October 19, from heart failure at the age of 55. Greg's lifelong devotion to discovering, raving about and releasing authentic -albeit obscure- rock & roll, and promoting rock fandom over four decades was extraordinary. Among his many accomplishments were fanzine publisher, magazine editor, band manager, author, indie label owner, and rock historian. Though his roles often varied, two things were absolutely consistent: his impeccable taste in music and the ability to be there first.
Though we grieve for him now, please know that Greg's legacy is the Bomp/Voxx records he was so proud to release, as ever they will be in print and available to inspire music lovers everywhere through the efforts of his business partner, Suzy Shaw, and Alive/Total Energy's Patrick Boissel.
However you choose to honor Greg's memory-- do it with anything but a moment of silence.
For a full biography, go here: http://bomp.com/Facts.html


Thursday, September 16th, 2004
Johnny Ramone, of 'The Ramones,' Dies at 55
Johnny Ramone died in his sleep Wednesday afternoon at his Los Angeles home surrounded by friends and family, his publicist said. He had battled prostate cancer for five years, and was hospitalized in June at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Ramone, born John Cummings, was one of the original members of the Ramones, whose hit songs "I Wanna be sedated" and "Blitzkrieg Bop," among others, earned the band induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6014362/ and www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/16/obit.ramone.ap/index.html


Wednesday, September 15th, 2004
Grandmaster Flash is among the nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - the first rap artist to receive that distinction. He joins Irish mega-stars U2, L.A. singer-songwriter Randy Newman and soul-funk singers the O'Jays on the ballot. Getting his start as a DJ at Bronx parties in the late 1970s, Grandmaster Flash (born Joseph Saddler) later joined with the Furious Five for the social commentary of "The Message" and "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It"). Associated Press reports that other nominees this year include blues guitarist Buddy Guy, rockabilly pioneer Wanda Jackson, the new wave rock band the Pretenders, soul singer Percy Sledge, "Centerfold" singers the J. Geils Band and the late country crooner Conway Twitty. Musicians, industry professionals and journalists vote, and results of the 20th annual election likely will be announced in December.
Compiled by Scott Galupo from staff and wire reports.


Tuesday, September 7th, 2004
(Courtesy of www.tigerarmy.com)
A message to Tiger Army fans from Nick 13...
As you've just read or may have heard, Geoff Kresge has left the band. It's not the way I would've wanted things, but I respect his decision. For the people who say things won't be the same, no, they won't be the same. Every player has always brought their own unique qualities to Tiger Army. But for the people who say it's over? They can't know anything about Tiger Army. Geoff was the third stand-up player the band's had, and I can't begin to count the number of drummers we've played with, although most of them were friends helping out rather than actual band members. For the people who say it won't be as good? Don't be so sure... Jeff R. is an AMAZING stand-up bass player, as many people in Southern California & elsewhere are already aware. There aren't too many people around who could step into Geoff's shoes, but Jeff is one of them. James is a great drummer. The chemistry is there, that can't be faked. Those who know me or know anything about me know that I have too much pride in the Tiger Army name to step onstage with a line-up that can't live up to the reputation we've built through the hard work of the last few years. To people who are truly part of the Tiger Army, much love & respect, we'll see you on the road this fall -- TxAxNxDx!


Monday August 30th, 2004
WCNC-TV just received this from the Cabarrus County PIO: Indian Larry, a master motorcycle mechanic and stunt man, passed away this morning following an accident while performing Saturday at the Liquid Steel Classic and Custom Bike Series show at Cabarrus Arena and Events Center in Concord. He was best known for his appearances on Discovery Channel’s “Great Biker Build-Off” show.“Cabarrus County along with the staff at the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center sends its sincere condolences to the family of Indian Larry,” said Robert M. Freeman, chairman of the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners. “Indian Larry was a man with great skill and talent as a mechanic and metal sculptor. He will be truly missed by his fans here in Cabarrus County and throughout the nation.”
Info. C/O: http://www.bikergazette.com/


Monday, August 30th, 2004
To all that were present at Rudy's Saturday, August 28th for the GO KAT GO! presents show:
My sincere apologies for the headliners, 7 Shot Screamers, not showing up. I was all ready to call their booking agency today with some nasty words, until receiving the following horrible email:

We regret to inform you of last night's cancelation was last minute as Mike Shelton, or Roscoe Von Zipper as he was known on the Greaser's Lunchbox, hiswife, Carrie Lindsey, and their daughter Emily were killed instantley when a northbound car crossed the median and hit them head on. They were on their way back from the Beatlefest in Chicago and just about home in St. Louis when the tragedy occurred. Due to this tragic event, 7 Shot Screamers will be cancelingthe week of Aug 30th through Sept 9th, then 7 Shot Screamers will be back on the East Coast and getting shaped up for the West Coast this late Fall / early Winter. 7 Shot Screamers felt it was best to head home for family and services.

Read more here...

Our hearts go out to their friends and family during this difficult time.


August 29, 2004
(From Hank Williams III's website)
Unfortunately the upcoming tour with The Cramps has been canceled.
A message from Hank:
"I've done everything within my power, both with and without my management's blessings to make this tour happen. While the business end of things were still being worked out, The Cramps pulled us off the bill to get another band in line. As far as rumors of us trying to extort money out of The Cramps, THAT IS TOTAL MOTHERF***IN' BULLS**T. If anyone hears that, it's a f***in' lie. I was willing to do that tour for virtually no money, even scale down and hit the road in a van. It would have been an honor to tour with The Cramps. The business end of things just got all f***ed up, plain and simple. I tip my hat to The Cramps and wish them all the best. As for those stirring up lies and taking shots about the situation on my message board and other places, it's not The Cramps fault that we will not be able tour with them, so stop giving them s**t. And thanks for all the positive things others have done."


Friday, August 6th, 2004
September is a very special month here at GO KAT GO! Radio.
We are proud to bring some of the nations TOP rockabilly acts to the intimate atmosphere of Café 9 in New Haven! Tickets are limited to 150 per show and are predicted to sell out. You can purchase them in advance from the club at 203-789-8281.YOU WILL NOT SEE THESE BANDS IN A MORE INTIMATE ATMOSPHERE!

Tuesday, September 14th
Deke Dickerson & the Ecco-Fonics and (one more tba)
9:30pm - $6 in advance, $8 at the door

Thursday, September 30th
The Original “Queen of Rockabilly” – Wanda Jackson!!!!!!! Along with The Lustre Kings (NY)
9:30pm - $12 in advance, $15 at the door

BOTH shows are presented by GO KAT GO! Radio AND are at Cafe 9, 250 State Street, New Haven, CT www.cafenine.com


Thursday, July 15th, 2004
Hartford Advocate
"Road Bash"



Tuesday, July 13th, 2004
Rockabilly singer Ersel Hickey dies
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK -- Ersel Hickey, a rockabilly singer best known for "Bluebirds Over The Mountain," has died at age 70, according to a longtime friend. Hickey had been hospitalized at NYU Medical Center after surgery to have his bladder removed because of a tumor, according to Johnny Vallis, a friend and sometime publicist for the singer. He died after coming down with an infection, Vallis said. Hickey, a native of Brighton, N.Y., started singing in his teens, as a solo act and also with R&B groups. His first record, released in the late 1950s, was "Then I'll Be Happy/Baby You're No Good." But he is best known for his 1958 hit "Bluebirds Over The Mountain," which he also co-wrote. It was re-recorded by The Beach Boys a decade later. He also wrote songs for other artists, including Jackie Wilson's "The Millionaire" and LaVern Baker's "A Little Bird Told Me So." Hickey had no survivors, according to Vallis.


Saturday, July 10th, 2004
Ersel Hickey - June 27, 1934 - July 9, 2004
Ersel Hickey passed away at NYU Medical Center on Friday July 9, 2004 at 3:02pm. Ersel was admitted into hospital on Feb 27. Prior to going into hospital, he was having respiratory problems which were attended to at home. While in the hospital they discovered a cancerous tumor, having to remove his bladder as the tumor was near his kidneys.
At the end of May, Ersel Hickey came back home and was feeling better. He was slowly gaining back some weight he lost. Ersel said "I was grateful for the well wishes forwarded to me via email. It really picked me up when I needed it. Thank you everyone".
In June, Ersel went back in with an infection and passed away there. Many thanks go to all the staff that treated Ersel. Ersel's trying days were given a lift from a doctor that was there for Ersel. Special thanks to Rahmin A Rabenou for bring joy and warmth. Ersel is survived by his common-law partner Erica.
Ersel will be missed. He had a sweet nature and was very kind. He was loved by more people than he'll ever know. - Johnny Vallis.
Courtesy of RockabillyHall


Wednesday, July 7th, 2004
SATAN'S TEARDROPS NEWS!!!
Their Split CD with the Legendary Hucklebucks is now available on Rock n Roll Purgatory
Records, www.rocknrollpurgatory.com. It features six unreleased tracks from ST and seven tracks from TLH. In other news, Satan's Teardrops have found a new Bass player (Brett M), and are going into the studio at the end of July to record another 14 track album to be released on CD and vinyl. Check out Show listings and join the mailing list at www.satansteardrops.com and keep an eye out for the new web site coming soon!


Wednesday, June 23rd, 2004
Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys have been added to the "It Came From Trafalgar" movie soundtrack! Also on the soundtrack (and in the movie) - Hank Williams III! Check out all the info at: http://www.thejournalnet.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=113&ArticleID=40822


Wednesday, June 16th, 2004
Cameron Webb and Mike Ness are currently in a Los Angeles studio mixing the songs recorded for the new record. Below is a list of song names that will be on the album. They're not in the final sequence, but we wanted to give you first glance at the songs you've been waiting for. A title for the record is still in the works, but we will be sure to let you in on what it is as soon as we get word from Mr. Ness.
Songs: Reach For The Sky, Shake Ass, Don’t Take Me For Granted, Footprints On My Ceiling, Nickels & Dimes, I Wasn’t Born To Follow, Winners & Losers, Faithless, Live Before You Die and Angels Wings.


Monday, June 15, 2004
Last Ramone Is Battling Cancer
Following the death of Ramones singer Joey Ramone of cancer and bassist Dee Dee Ramone a drugs overdose in the past three years comes the tragic news that guitarist Johnny Ramone is now suffering from cancer and may not have long to live.
Johnny Ramone - the last surviving member of the original line-up of The Ramones - has been battling prostrate cancer for the past four years ago. Despite undergoing extensive chemotherapy since then, his bandmate drummer Marky Ramone (who joined the band in 1977) reckons the guitarist’s “chances are slim.”
"John never smoked cigarettes, he wasn't a heavy drinker and he was always into his health," Marky Ramone explained to Rolling Stone, "It just proves when cancer seeks a body to penetrate, it doesn't matter how healthy you are or how unhealthy you are. It just seeps in and there's nothing you can do."
"I've been getting so much email from people and from papers and magazines wanting to know what was up I had to take it upon myself to say something, because eventually John won't be in any condition to say or do anything. He went through many chemotherapy treatments. Some of it worked better than others. At this point [the cancer] has started to go into other areas of the body."
"He seemed in good spirits the last time I saw him," continued Marky, "He was talking about the positive things the Ramones accomplished: getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, how our music is being accepted at this point. It put a smile on his face. Knowing John, he'll fight this horrible disease to the end. Everybody is wishing the best and hoping the best. We'll stand by him."
The 55-year-old guitarist, was originally born John Cummings, and alongside the other Ramones was credited with helping kick start the punk movement. Formed in New York in 1974, the band played basic, stripped down, three-chord rock n’ roll classics like ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’ and ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ helping create the blueprint for The Sex Pistols, The Clash and entire generations of rock bands on both sides of the Atlantic.
Joey Ramone died of lymphatic cancer in 2001 and Dee Dee Ramone died of a drugs overdose in 2002.
Courtesy of X-FM Online - http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?b=news&id=28480


Monday, April 26, 2004 - New York
On July 5, 2004, rock n’ roll officially enters adulthood as fans everywhere will join to celebrate the art form’s 50th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, BMG Strategic Marketing Group will issue four special releases that embody the inherent spirit and history of rock. This includes: the official CD of the 50th anniversary “Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and the signature “ELVIS AT SUN” record, as well as two comprehensive, deluxe Elvis Presley DVD box sets, “ELVIS: ’68 Comeback Special - Deluxe Edition DVD” and “ELVIS, Aloha From Hawaii - Deluxe Edition DVD.” All products will be released on June 22.


April 19th, 2004
Ray Condo Dies
Ray was performer 'on a mission' - A fixture on Montréal’s live music scene. Founder of the Hardrock Goners known internationally in rockabilly circles.
Rockabilly musician Ray Condo moved to the West Coast in 1991 after spending years on Montreal's club circuit. His body was found in a Vancouver apartment on Thursday.
Ray Condo, a fixture on Montreal's live-music scene in the late 1980s, has died at age 54. The singer's body was found Thursday in his Vancouver apartment, said Peter Sandmark, drummer for the Hardrock Goners, Condo's former backing band. The cause of death is being determined, Sandmark said.
Born Ray Tremblay in Hull, Condo released his first record when he was 16, as part of the Peasants, a British Invasion-style group. After performing in a Vancouver punk band, the Secret Vs, he relocated to Montreal in 1984, where he formed the Hardrock Goners. The rockabilly-revivalist combo incorporated blues, country and western swing in its sound, specializing in forgotten classics with a backbeat.
Chris Hand, who owns Zeke's Gallery, saw the group live many times. He recalled Condo as a man who "put heart and soul into everything," and described his stage presence as "manic, all over the place - everything a rockabilly band should be."
After tiring of the Montreal club circuit, Condo returned to Vancouver in 1991. Even so, the Montreal-based Goners toured with him for another three years before the band stopped performing. Condo then formed the Ricochets, with whom he recorded Swing, Brother, Swing, and Door to Door Maniac. High and Wild, their last album, was released in 2000. He was to have performed last night in Vancouver.
"He'll be remembered as a Canadian rock 'n' roll legend," Sandmark said, noting Condo was known internationally in rockabilly circles, though his records were not easily available. When the two were last together in Vancouver in February, they joked about it. "He was the best-known Canadian rocker nobody's ever heard," Sandmark said.
But it was Condo's passion that Sandmark remembered yesterday. "He was no sellout," he said. "Ray was really dedicated to the music - to preserving the classics, like Hank Williams and roots rock 'n' roll. He thought America had forgotten its roots, that this music was America's contribution to the world. "He always used to say, 'We're on a mission to keep it alive.'"
Ray Condo was part of a scene that brought together some of Montreal's most spirited musicians.
bperusse@thegazette.canwest.com - BERNARD PERUSSE - CREDIT: GORDON BECK, The Gazette

An informational web site www.raycondo.ca/ is in the process of being set up with a message board so everyone can express themselves. For more information email: information@raycondo.ca


April 1st, 2004
Green Bay, WI

The dates are set for Oneida Bingo & Casinos Rockin 50's Fest II. Mark your calendars for April 11th - April 16th, 2005...and get ready to BOP! The last fest (July 2002) was very successful, featuring over 120 musical acts and averaging 3,500 attendees per day, over the 7 day period. More than 20 countries were represented. Rockin 50's Fest II 2005 is expected to be double the amount of people as well as double the amount of fun. Here are just a few of the acts confirmed for the fest...
Jerry Lee Lewis, Rayburn Anthony, Art Adams, The Cleftones, Narvel Felts, The Comets, Roc La Rue, The Crickets, The Fendermen, Dale Hawkins, Bobby Crown, Lew Williams, Ray Sharpe, Hank Thompson, Wanda Jackson, Young Jessie, Billy Lee Riley, The Tinstars, Orbi Tunes, The Honey Bees, Wildfire Willie & the Ramblers, The Lazy Jumpers, The Rizlaz, The Nu Niles, Rory Justice, Di Maggio Brothers, Cari Lee & Her Saddle-Ites, The Barnshakers, The Vibro Champs, Gina Lee & Her Texas Three, Jerry King & The Rivertown Ramblers, The Ranch Riot, Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms, Little Ester & Her Tinstars, Arsen Roulette & The Ricochets, Roy Kay Trio, Deke Dickerson & The Ecco-Fonics, The C.C. Jerome Trio
This is just the tip of the iceberg, there is still 3/4 of the line-up to complete. Please continue to check www.oneidabingoandcasino.net and www.actionpackedevents.com for furthers updates and on-sale ticket times.


Wednesday, March 31st, 2004
JUST ANNOUNCED!!!
1st Annual "Rumble in the Country" Presented by Rumblers Nomads CC Saturday June 5th - Fairgrounds at Terryville - 1 mile from Rt 6 Terryville, CT
Open to Traditional Hot Rods, Kustoms, and Motorcycles Live Rockabilly bands to be announced. Starts at 9am


Saturday, March 27th, 2004
Jimmy Lee Fautheree Ill
Jimmy Lee returned home from England ("The Rockabilly Rave") very sick with pneumonia and has been hospitalised for two weeks. He is also fighting a battle with cancer and has begun treatments. Would like to ask everyone who loves his music and Jimmy Lee, to lift him up with your prayers. Music is still a love of his life, along with his wife, Nancy and family, and also a big plus for him is his love for The Lord.
Letter from Martha Fautheree, courtesy of www.rockabillyhall.com


Thursday, March 25th, 2004
For immediate release:
HELP DULCIE YOUNGER STAY SINGLE!
Dulcie Younger and The Silencers are planning on touring the United States this year. In order to facilitate touring, Dulcie is either going to need to marry rich or obtain corporate sponsorship. A survey has been set up on the Dulcie Younger and The Silencers website (www.dulcieyounger.com) so fans can help Dulcie stay single.
Corporate sponsorship will allow Dulcie to play a larger number of cities and towns, as well as more all ages venues and radio shows. Sponsorship will not change the material Dulcie performs, the content of her stage show, nor will it enable her to fix a chipped tooth, like the singer, Jewel. It will not cause Dulcie Younger and The Silencers to become another Greenday rip-off band, nor will pictures of her kissing Britney Spears be spotted on the front page of tabloids. If she can receive corporate funding, it will save some poor unsuspecting Beverly Hills bastard from being used for his dough.
If you are interested in filling out the survey (or checking out Dulcie Younger's website) should go to www.dulcieyounger.com. If you are a fatcat from Beverly Hills, please e-mail Dulcie off the website.


Sunday February 1st, 2004
Rock Around The Clock 1954 - 2004
April 12th marks the 50th anniversary of the recording of the song that kick started a musical revolution. Many can argue that there certainly had been Rock n' Roll records before this one. Haley himself had already recorded what many consider to be the first Rock n' Roll performance by a white artist "Rocket 88", 3 years before in 1951.
But "Rock Around The Clock" was different. It typified a whole new generation who wanted to go out and have a good time and wanted their own music, and their own style. It gave teenagers their own identity. In fact in my opinion Bill Haley and the Comets recording of "Rock Around The Clock" started not just a new musical revolution, but also a social revolution.
courtesy of www.billhaley.com


Monday January 19, 2004
NEWS from World Rockabilly Coalition:
Rockabilly music enthusiasts worldwide unite World Rockabilly Coalition launched! (Dallas,TX U.S.A) --The World Rockabilly Coalition (WRC) has been launched from The Blue Ridge Opry and Eagle Entertainment. The WRC is a worldwide alliance of members dedicated to preserving the past and insuring the future of rockabilly and related music, and bringing media attention and public awareness to the music and the people who keep rockabilly rockin'. WRC membership is open to fans, friends, and everyone associated with the production and promotion of rockabilly and related music. Whether you are an inductee in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, or a new fan of the music, the WRC welcomes you to their membership as they set out to celebrate "The First 50 Years of Rockabilly". For membership information or to join the World Rockabilly Coalition, go to http://www.blueridgeopry.com/wrc.html E-mail WRC public relations at wrc@blueridgeopry.com


Thursday January 8th, 2004
From the Photon Torpedoes:
The Photon Torpedoes are in the running for a slot in the Wrecker's Ball, a week long festival, which was a weekender last year that the band played. They would love to be back again this year, so please go and vote for the Photon Torpedoes! Thanks for your support!
The Photon Torpedoes

YOU will vote for what bands you want to see get into the big show. There will be 3 rounds. As of now there are 28 bands who have signed Up to be in the contest. Out of all the bands who end up signing on, You will vote for the top 15 then in the second round you will vote For the top 6 and for the last round only the top 3 vote getters will get into the big show. Whoever has the highest votes will get to choose what day they play. Go to the DSD website (www.geocities.com/dragstripdemon/dsd.html) or click on this link and vote NOW http://vote.sparklit.com/web_poll.spark/805660 the first round of voting ends January 20th, The Second Round end January 31st and the last round ends February 14th and the WB 2 Site will be launched. The line up for the Wreckers Ball 2 @ The Glasshouse October 20th-31st will be announced.


Monday, December 29, 2003
Check out this great article about a Danbury teen's dream coming true...meeting his idol, Brian Setzer, through the Fairfield County Make-A-Wish Foundation.


Thursday, December 11th, 2003
"That's All Right'' -- Presley Estate Celebrates 50 Years of Elvis and Rock 'N' Roll

Special Television Programming, Milestone DVD Releases, a City of Memphis Rock 'N' Roll Initiative and Other Special Projects are Slated for 2004 -- the 50th Anniversary Year of the Release of Presley's First Record

Fifty years since Elvis Presley's career began and more than 26 years since his death, the Elvis phenomenon has never been more powerful. Throughout 2004, the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary year of Elvis Presley's career, which began in earnest on July 5, 1954, when he recorded his first single release, "That's All Right," for the Sun Records label in Memphis. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) and its collaborators have a schedule of several major projects throughout this very special 50th Anniversary year.

In 2002, Elvis reached new audiences and his legacy rose to a new level with intense and particularly incisive media coverage of the 25th anniversary year of his passing, with the global smash dance remix single "A Little Less Conversation," with the inclusion of his music and references to him in the new Disney animated classic "Lilo and Stitch," and with the album "ELV1S 30 #1 HITS," which went to the top of the album charts in 26 territories of the world, including the USA, and has sold over 9 million copies. This year's follow-up album"ELVIS 2ND TO NONE" has also enjoyed strong sales and chart action worldwide.

EPE's year of commemoration officially kicks off with the annual Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration at the singer's beloved Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, with a four-day slate of traditional events running from his birthday anniversary on January 8 through January 11. Included will be sneak preview screenings of several DVD releases coming later in the year and launch activities for the newly published book "Elvis Fashion -- From Memphis to Vegas," which documents Elvis Presley's personal style through the years and his influence on fashion. Also, gold and platinum record awards for the new "ELVIS 2ND TO NONE" album will be presented.

The 50th Anniversary year will crescendo with an as yet untitled, new Elvis network special, in development for airing in the fourth quarter of 2004. EPE is the owner and executive producer of this project, which will be produced by the acclaimed David Saltz. A more detailed announcement on this project will be forthcoming.

The city of Memphis, in cooperation with EPE, is also planning a yearlong celebration to mark the 50th Anniversary of Rock 'n' Roll. World-renowned musicians with ties to the city and its music -- Justin Timberlake, B.B. King, Isaac Hayes and Scotty Moore -- will serve as musical ambassadors.

On July 5, Memphis will be the focal point for a "Global Moment in Time" -- a moment at which radio stations across the world will be
encouraged to simultaneously play "That's All Right." This could mark the largest playing of a single song at the same moment in history. The official Web site for this Memphis initiative is www.50yearsrocknroll.com.

Beginning in the spring of 2004, the Elvis exhibit areas of Graceland Mansion and its related attractions will be enhanced with additional career and personal items from the massive EPE archives, many on display for the first time. Throughout the year, all Graceland tourism marketing initiatives and other promotions and special merchandising will feature EPE's own official 50th Anniversary logo and artwork. It's comprised of a mid-1950s image of Elvis, the Sun Records label, and the text "He Dared to Rock -- July 5, 1954 -- That's All Right."

On March 23rd, BMG/RCA will release "Elvis Ultimate Gospel." This single disc CD will contain the greatest hits from Elvis' extensive Gospel recordings.

"All Shook Up," a new musical inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley, is making its way toward Broadway with its first regional production in May 2004. Commissioned by EPE, the show features more than 20 songs made popular by Elvis. Neither a revue of Elvis' music nor an Elvis biography, "All Shook Up" is an original musical comedy in which a magical jukebox and a leather-jacketed stranger transform a loveless town. Written by Joe DiPietro, who wrote the long-running musical hit "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," and directed by Christopher Ashley, who was Tony nominated for "Rocky Horror," "All Shook Up" will open on Broadway in the spring of 2005. "All Shook Up" is being produced by Jonathan Pollard, Bernie Kukoff, Clear Channel Entertainment, Miramax Films, Stanley Buchthal, Harbor Entertainment, and Harvey Weinstein.

In the summer, EPE will release its highly anticipated, new comprehensive DVD collections of the material from Elvis Presley's 1968 television special "Elvis" (generally known as the "'68 Comeback Special") and his 1973 television special "Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite." Both DVD sets will contain all the previously released material plus previously unreleased material -- all specially presented in newly re-edited and re-mastered form. Both specials were major career milestones for Elvis and are considered classic performances. The 1968 special marked his triumphant return to live concert performing after years of focusing on his Hollywood film career, and it is considered by many to be the finest moment of his career and one of the great moments in rock history. The 1973 "Aloha" special was a ground-breaking event when it initially aired, seen live via Globecam satellite and by tape-delay in 40 countries by 1-to-1.5 billion people. To many, this event represents Elvis at the pinnacle of his superstardom.

Also in June, shortly before the 50th anniversary of "That's All Right," BMG/RCA will release "ELVIS AT SUN" a new, comprehensive collection of Elvis Presley's Sun Records recordings. For additional information on BMG/RCA and related projects, visit www.elvissecondtonone.com.

Elvis Week 2004 (August 7-16), the annual August festival which attracts tens of thousands of fans from around the world and features
dozens of events at Graceland and throughout Memphis, will also take on a 50 Years of Elvis/50 Years of Rock 'n' Roll theme.

As all these projects and many others for 2004 evolve, details will be posted on the official Elvis web site www.elvis.com and press
releases specific to each project will be iss