10 best books of 2009

10 best books of 2009
BOOKS:
1. led zeppelin concert file by dave lewis. best zep book ever

2. penguin guide to jazz recordings . most jazz history Ive ever seen.

3. 'underground: my life with sds & the weather underground' mark rudd . rudd from the weathermen went underground on rittenhouse ca. 1970. remind you of anyone we know?

4. robert frank 'the americans' among top 5 photo books ever

5. Steven Gaines' "Fool's Paradise" (Miami) southbeach yay

6. 'barbie & ruth: the story of the worlds most famous doll' by robin gerber. i like barbie.

7. jose torres 'sting like a bee; the muhammad ali story' 1971. the greatest.

8, 'under their thumb' bill german . teenager hangs with stones in 1980-ish debauch wow

9. timothy leary 'turn on tune in drop out' we all remember timothy leary.

10. gay talese 'thy neighbour's wife' read it when i was 10. well written n researched.

RUNNERS UP:
"Who shot rock & roll" magnificent pics since '50's + commentary.

william knoedelseder 'Im dying up here' LA comedy in mid-70's: wild


'the wit & wisdom of keith richards' I met him at tony guccione's party late 80s- totally down to earth chap

led zep shadows taller than our souls by charles cross. gimmicky pic book but hey, it's ZEPP !!!!

best concerts, dj sets and club nights of 2009:

best concerts, dj sets & club nights 2009

Body: BEST CLUB NIGHT/ CONCERT/ DJ SET:
1. morrissey academy of music 22.03.09 ****3/4+
2. superdrag johnny brenda's 4/4/09 ****1/2+
3. steely dan 'aja' 11/19/09 tower theatre four and one half stars plus.
4. the feelies johnny brendas 3/13/09 ****1/2+
5. . derrick carter sullivan room 7/11/09 ****1/2+


RUNNERS UP
danny tenaglia/burcham pacha 5/9/09 ****1/2
Sunday shoutin I david morales, lil louis vega, tony humphries webster hall f eb 08 2009 ****1/4+
derrick carter sullivan room 2/21/09 ****1/4
danny howells/stadenco LOVE 6/20/09 ****
carl cox cielo 10-3. three and 3/4 stars.
making time pure 3/13/09 ***1/2 nasa julian s
Tvs.I! barbary 3/27/09 ***1/2 . jimmy mack. popcorn.
. Tiesto at Electric Factory 10-14-09 ***1/2
sorted/smiths/morrissey barbary 2/13/09 ***1/2
. making time starlight ballrm sebastien tellier ***1/4.

10 fave songs of 2009

Current music: chet sings

10 favourite songs from 2009:
10 favourite songs of 2009:

1. jay z/alicia keys "empire state of mind" yankees #27 / "who's your daddy?!"
2. morrissey "I'm throwing my arms around Paris."
3. betty botox "back to my piano roots" [thanks, max!].
4. morrissey "something is squeezing my skull."
5. spaghetti circus "still going" [thanks, matt!]
6. willie nelson "stardust" re-issue
7. chet baket "My funny valentine" from "chet sings."
8. still going "theme" [thanks to Bikes!djs]
9. jay z 'death to auto-tune'
10. st. etienne "spring" [air france re-mix].


listening: carl cox at space ibiza 2009 joing our revolution

nyc nightlife in dec 1999 10 years ago

nyc nightlife in dec 1999 10 years ago
nyc nightlife in dec 1999 10 years ago

dec 1 1999 On!/Lust for Life was a popular weds. night event at Life on Bleecker St. Dec 1 sweden's backyard babies headlined, with support pcp highway & holly golightly. top tunes from nick marc: tighten up [james brown's cover!], shiela take a bow, loaded & venus ***1/4 of 5 stars . guests incl kerri black, alex english and justine d.

dec 3 1999 Exit was a recently opened club on west 56th st [earlier carbon, later Ikon, now terminal 5 ] Diana Balton & I celebrated Sagittarius with music by Peter Rauhofer/Club 69. ***1/2 of 5 stars. now you knopw who peter rauhofer is.. good, not great.
* the same night carl cox and darren emerson were at twilo . and the makeup were at maxwell's in hoboken. gosh i shld hv gone to coxy 1

dec 4 1999 i took the path to maxwell's in hoboken nj to see lloyd cole solo acoustic. guests incl jj & chris from DC & sam kripalani. **** of 5 stars
* then cabbed it back to 212 to hit tiswas at don hill's in soho. nick's top choons: head music & lazy by suede. staying out for the summer by dodgy. vapour trail by ride & mersey paradise by the roses. *** of 5 stars. inm dec 2009 im listening to 'head music' almost every day - im serious suede was the best band of the 1990's 11

dec 8 1999 miss guy & the toilet boys played On! at Life.

dec 9 1999 beavher at don hills with bands world inferno society & artificial joy. frank's hits incl notorious, set it off, brown sugar & buffalo stance. ***1/4 of 5 stars . wow world inferno. frank, now that soul kitchen is back, can the beav be far behind //

dec 11 1999 the salford lads 'the east coast's only smiths tribute band' headlined Tiswas. the band included dj jess, john k, and ezra from sadie.
nick's choons incl jumping jack flash, weirdo & sproston green, spirit in the sky by dr & the medics, & in between days. **** of 5 stars . im feeling so nostalgic now 1

dec 15 1999 ronnie spector's xmas spectacular featuring joey ramone ! at Life! + hedwig & angry inch band. joey rip. met him at coney island. saw the ramones in 77 in nj 111
* also the Pop Art cosmic costume party with aerial love feed [rockethouse], mahogany & bunsen honeydew. rockethouse were among nyuc's best bands of the past 10 years. re-unite 1

dec 16 1999 my birthday party at beavher at don hills with guests carmen kass, diana balton, jackie macallister & jake from squirt tv. frank's hits incl dreaming of me, time clock of the heart, walking on sunshine, dress you up, everything she wants, & rock with you. **** thanks to everyone for a wonderful & warm birthday !!!! carmen was gorgeous and sweet as always. the culture club song pretty much made me cry .. diana i love you xxoo

dec 18 1999 tiswas xmas party at dons with guests courtney taylor from dandy warhols, kathleen I, & justine d. nick's choons: rebel rebel, daytripper, trash, this charming man, & fools gold 1994. ***1/2 of 5 stars . wow dandy warhols. u kno its ten years gone ...

dec 23 1999 beavher xmas party at don hills. top tunes jive talkin, rock the boat, rock your baby, & young americans. ***3/4 of 5 stars

dec 30 1999 beavher pre new years. guests incl ali wise & carina. top choons night fever, tainted love, start me up, dont stop til you get enough, our lips are sealed, walk like an egyptian, opp, & funkytown. ***3/4 of 5 stars . ali wise dolce publicist has become a bit more infamous in nyc and la in 2009 ....

jan 1 2000 sasha & digweed continued their legendary monthly residency at twilo . a decade later, sasha is in minimasl tech noodles and diggers -- gotta find out out of he can still twist melonjs deep twisted house stylee.

here are some favourites in various categories for the year-end 1999:
bands of the year incl suede blur st etienne & pavement.

singles of the year incl cher's believe, new radicals you get what you give, blur's tender & coffee & TV, suede's shes in fashion, lloyd cole's that boy, stardust music sounds better with you. wow those are great songs.

comebacks of the year incl: burt bacharach & elvis costello, echo & bunnymen, blondie, nick drake, & new order. burt and elvis - quality wins the day

top news events incl: columbine/gun control; amadou diallo/police harassment; monica lewinsky/impeachment; and the deaths of owen hart & stanley kubrick.

films incl: Go! the matrix; misadventures of margaret; austin powers, [intl man of mystery], blair witch, the mummy & reissues of 8-1/2, peeping tom, & andy warhols screen tests at the whitney.

actresses incl katie homes, sara polley, charlize theron, natalie portman gretchen mol, parker posey & sarah michelle gellar.

top clubs incl bar 13, Life, don hills & coney island.

TV shows incl the UFC, E!, charmed, buffy & the chimp channel !

radio incl 105 classic soul/disco, cbs fm oldies, and wfmu

art shows incl karen kilimnick at 303; raymond pettibon at zwirner; nabil nahas at sperone; jim shaw; sigmar polke; david salle & philip taafee at gagosian, don bachelor at shafrazi; ashley bickerton at sonnabend & jack featherly at team. almost all of these were in soho- all of these galleries have moved to chelsea in last 10 years. but i hold to these tasteful, forward predictions.

photo shows: wm eggleston at cheim & read; jean loup sieff at staley wise; peter sekaer; and malick sidebe at jeffrey deitch.


my horoscope lucky colours for dec 1999 incl purple, red, white, blue

Currently listening :
Penthouse and Pavement
By Heaven 17/
steely dan alive in usa 1995.

nyc nightlife in december 1994 - 15 years ago this month -

nyc nightlife in december 1994 - 15 years ago this month -

dec 3 1994 club expo in times square [now club new york] was one of the most popular saturday nights in autumn 1994.
* afterwards late night eating up to the famous skyyline coffee shoppe on lexington/75th st for a cinnamon raisin bagel and a coffee with half & half. after 40+ years as a nyc institution, skyyline closed a few years ago & is now a StarWich :(

dec 7 1994 disco 2000 at limelight was 1 of the best parties weekly. on the 7th Killing Joke headlined with a powerful set. best song; "Change." kenny kenny hosted. george wayne from paper attended, as well as jenny brunt, a gorgeous brunette model of the day.

dec 8 1994 i saw nine inch nails on the downward spiral tour. marilyn manson & jim rose circus show in support! hi-lites on NIN's strong arena set: war of the pigs. wish. down in it. head like a hole. hurt. joy div's dead souls. and closer. excellent arena show.
* afterwards over to club USA on west 47th st with dr janet guss. the same day howard stern had talked a bridge suicide jumper out of taking his life.

dec 9 1994 my first visit to don hills club in soho!! diana balton & I went together for dj wayne/jayne county. guest incl. dave deluca and ivan walters. top tune sympathy for the devil.
* i had a slice of pizza for lunch at mimi's on 84th/lex. and a late night bagel at H&H bagel on west 80th st. among the city's best pizza & bagels both.

dec 13 1994 I had my birthday party #1 at bowles/sorokko galleries on west broadway where i was assistant director at the time. then down to the knitting factory with randy fx for american music club, a somewhat under-rated & forgotten US alt-rock act of the day.

dec 14 1994 birthday party #2 at johns pizza on bleeecker st. birthday wishes from janet guss, nicole garrison of morrizine, steve erdman, alan barcoff, jane pinkus,jeff lynch, randy fx, diana balton & dj medusa.

dec 16 1994 birthday party #3 at the tunnel on west 27th st. an American Models agency party brought out a great group of guests incl. christy turlington, seal, bridget hall & patrician brunette ralph lauren model saffron. I took several pics of turly and bridget & i stayed til 530 with great techno music all night long. a very memorable birthday/holiday party!

dec 17 birthday party #4/xmas party at jeffrey slonim's townhouse. guests incl alison moore & diana balton. jeff now writes for the ny post & hamptons. we watched 'grey gardens' on vhs; top songs 'we are family," psych furs 'heaven.' & some B-52's.

dec 19 1994 more xmas parties: bowles/soroko gallery on west broadway/prince where i was assistant director. our xmas dinner was at Boom! in soho. too much red wine, too much blood ;) then over to SOB's on varick for the afro-brasilian world music soundtrack. as work xmas parties go this was one of the most fun & tasteful i ever experienced. soho in the early-mid-90s a wondeful time to be there :)

dec 20 1994 shopping at liquid sky in soho on lafayette, heather summerfield was a cashier & a longtime friend since sheep meadow/tunnel/world circa 1987-

dec 21 1994 back to disco 2000 at limelight for their xmas bash. marc berkeley's boys night out xmas in the chapel. pretty fab xmas party at limelight.

dec 22 1994 another xmas party thsi time at supper club on west 43rd st. guests incl dr janet guss. top song' ini kamoze here comes the hotstepper.
* and shopping at giorgio armani on madison 66th/67th with my brother I bought a navy blue armani black label cravatte with small white rosettes. this was armani's first madison ave flagship, a tall townhouse that later housed Versace.

dec 26 1994 shooting the weather report awards show best of 1994 with randy x on the west side and guest director andy serban.

dec 28 1994 back to limelight for disco 2000

dec 30 1994 tunnel fridays with randy fx.

dec 31 1994 new years eve the infamous "Heaven" rave on long island city queens. juan atkins spun a powerful tech house set. it was a fun if kooky rave; then like 1230 the cops burst in turned the lights on & busted the rave. another disapoppointing new years eve & another nail in teh coffin of nyc's rave scene- which has never returned to its optimistic vibe of the early mid 1990s.

the best photo show I saw in dec 1994 was robert frank & hiroshi sugimoto at lawrence miller in soho.

favourite music in dec 1994 incl new order's greatest hits. and the vinyl james bond soundtrack 'the living daylights' with the pretenders + johnny marr!

other fave food spots in dec 1994 incl M&O deli sandwiches on western prince st, mimi's for pizza on 84th/lex; skyyline coffee shoppe lex/75th 24 hours for bagels/brunch. iammo bello on 60thy betw park/madison for pasta & salad. and soupburg lex/80th for sandwiches & brunch. & the original green kitchen on 1st & 77th for french fries.

my favourite tv show was melrose place on fox on monday nights

my business meetings in dec 1994 incl Foundation model agency
Current music: carl cox crobar wmc 3/06

AWARDS SHOW, 1994
"Year-End Awards Show, 1994" !
our end of year 1994 Awards show. This show was filmed on December 20, 1994 as I ran down the best in Music, Media & Culture for 1994.

Here are some of the categories & the bands featured in each:

Best 45 of 1994: my favourite singles of the year were: Suede's "Stay Together," St. Etienne's "Like a Motorway," Morrissey's "The More You Ignore me the closer I Get," Blur's "Girls & Boys," and the Jesus & Mary Chain's "Sometimes Always." Youn cant argue with that group of bands, as the last 12 years have shown !

LP of the Year: I selected Suede's "Dog Man Star," Blur's "Parklife," Morrissey's "Vauxhall & I," St Etienne's "Tiger Bay," and the JAMC's "Stoned & Dethroned." Again, Classics all !!


Bands of the Year:
* I chose Blur & Suede.
** Kurt Cobain's April 8 suicide loomed large over the music events of the year, and this episode includes the NY Times famous front-page obituary of Kurt, "Hesitant Poet of Grunge Rock." I have a tee shirt purchased in spring 1994 of this NY Times Kurt Pg. 1 I'll have to wear some time soon!

Concert of the Year: My top gig of 1994 was the Lemonheads at Roseland with Courtney Love playing 3 encore songs just months after Kurt's suicide. My other favourites were Blur & Pulp together at the Academy, St Etienne & Ivy at Limelight, St Etienne & American Music Club at Manhattan Centre, & Oasis & Ivy at Wetlands. Look at those bands live in NYC in 1994!!

Event of the Year: OJ Simpson was the top tabloid story of 1994. Randy selected "Music" itself as the top media event of 1994.
Let's note that TWELVE years later, OJ is Still front page headlines as his recent FOX TV show & Regan books cancellations show....

Best Radio Show: Howard Stern on K-Rock

Comeback of the Year: Punk rock incl. Reagan Youth.

Best Actress: Shannen Doherty.

Hip Hop LP of the Year: Warren G "Regulate the G Funk Era"

Best new artist: bertrand x chose Jeff Buckley. I chose Oasis.

Sex symbols/Top Models of the Year: Christy Turlington, Amber Valetta, Stephanie Seymour, Megan Douglass & Bridget Hall.

Top TV shows: I was watching "Melrose Place" every Monday at 8:00 pm, and David Letterman's "Late Show."


** there's also a flashback to Logan Evans "Loganic One" cable show from April 13, 1983 as he toured the Upper East Side with his Sony BetaMax camera, in the earliest years of our cable TV careers.

I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)

I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
I can't understand,
She let go of my hand
An' left me here facing the wall.
I'd sure like t' know
Why she did go,
But I can't get close t' her at all.
Though we kissed through the wild blazing nighttime,
She said she would never forget.
But now mornin's clear,
It's like I ain't here,
She just acts like we never have met.

It's all new t' me,
Like some mystery,
It could even be like a myth.
Yet it's hard t' think on,
That she's the same one
That last night I was with.
From darkness, dreams're deserted,
Am I still dreamin' yet?
I wish she'd unlock
Her voice once an' talk,
'Stead of acting like we never have met.

If she ain't feelin' well,
Then why don't she tell
'Stead of turnin' her back t' my face?
Without any doubt,
She seems too far out
For me t' return t' her chase.
Though the night ran swirling an' whirling,
I remember her whispering yet.
But evidently she don't
An' evidently she won't,
She just acts like we never have met.

If I didn't have t' guess,
I'd gladly confess
T' anything I might've tried.
If I was with 'er too long
Or have done something wrong,
I wish she'd tell me what it is, I'll run an' hide.
Though her skirt it swayed as a guitar played,
Her mouth was watery and wet.
But now something has changed
For she ain't the same,
She just acts like we never have met.

I'm leavin' today,
I'll be on my way
Of this I can't say very much.
But if you want me to,
I can be just like you
An' pretend that we never have touched.
An' if anybody asks me, "Is it easy to forget?"
I'll say, "It's easily done,
You just pick anyone,
An' pretend that you never have met!"

nyc nightlife in nov 2004 - 5 years ago this month

nyc nightlife in nov 2004 - 5 years ago this month
nyc nightlife in nov 2004 - 5 years ago this month

nov 4, 2004 tony humphries celebrated his birthday at his discoteque 19th st. weekly residence. i dont even think discoteque is open in 2009, 19th st off of 5th ave.

nov 5 2004 DJ Vibe from Portugal & the low end specialists were at spirit. LES played a great progressive opening set & Vibe's tribal tech couldnt quite compete this night- usually Vibe is among the best in the world. spirit's crowd was abysmal & guido/nj as always **1/2 of 5 stars . spririt's been closed a couple of years now after several chelsea deaths. vibe comes to ny about 2 times yearly, he's still among my top 5 or so djs.

nov 6 2004 the death of fashion was at piano's. does anyone still go to piano's

nov 11 2004 larry tee's outsider fest at crobar, an amazing gathering of electronic & house styles. guests incl christine ruggiero, amanda lepore, rupaul and ARE Weapons. first in the reed room: shiela e the glamorous life. then the glimmers & whitey spun hot club sets in the main room. junior vasquez came on at 2 am & kickstarted the night into house overdrive. top tunes incl tamyra grey raindrops will fall. destinys lose my breath. ellis d hands off. cece peniston a deeper love. morales' how wld u feel. do it properly. nasty girl. all 3 rooms were great all night & it was a fun & flamboyant mix like limelight or tunnel in the 90s. one of my best club nights of 2004 **** of 5 stars. many of the acts larry booked that night were electro, but it was a tougher and funkier version they the weak-poppy-ish electro one hears in 2009. in fact electro is sometimes a bad word in 2009. junior was glorious in crobar's big room. now it's m2, i have never gone.
* the same night interpol was at hammerstein ballroom touring their antics LP. arcade fire was at bowery ballrm. when they release lps, both bands still have cre4dibility into 2010.

nov 12 2004 sander kleinenberg was at crobar. and interpol played an impressive 2nd night at hammerstein. Mr X hosted a duran duran tribute night at luke/leroy.

nov 13 2004 nick marc celebrated his birthday at tiswas at don hills with royston langdon's new band perfornming. in 2006 royston is back with Arc Kid & some are predicting his music career does have a second act. actually if spacehog was even a 1st act, there was no second act. and liv tyler split from royston and moved to la with baby milo.
* the same night the damnwells were at mercury lounge, one of the most under-rated nyc rock bands of the 21st century. juliette lewis was at tribeca grand. i have loved every damnwells cd ive bought on amazon - why are many of americas best bands totally obscure

nov 16 2004 morrissey performed on david letterman in full priest's frock & sang I have forgiven jesus. dave said 'thank you father' afterwards. 5 years later you are the quarry was a stunni9ngly successful comecomk for moz, his fiorst lp in 7 years

nov 19 2004 taking back sunday was at roseland. im not much for emo but their 2006 45 'make damn sure' is a lot better than the killers new LP ! now i cant remember having heard any tbs songs
* the death of fashion was at luna lounge. luna moved to bk and is now knitting factory.

nov 20 2004 orange park was at arlenes grocery. OP needs to play so0me gigs in 2010. otherwise, theyre done.
* the same night the low end specialists & antranig were at discoteque.

nov 24, 2004 steve lawler & danny tenaglia were at the roxy for thanksgiving eve. lawler stole the show with last nite a dj saved my life, elements, lil mo yin yang 'reap,' and a new mix of trisco's muzak. lawler's tribal & progg house totally beat DT's techy house [incl be yourself], and it was an excellent thanksgiving eve blowout. ****1/4+ of 5 stars on the night . how many djs can blow away dt in his own city. a very shortlist but steve lawlers on it.
* the same night, infected mushroom were getting lovely at avalon. psy-trance ... still going haha. avalon - a shopping mall, mthey say

nov 25 2004 paul oakenfold hosted trancegiving at crobar. okaey now p[lays las vegas almost each week at rain. im gonna be sick.

nov 26 2004 erick morillo was throwing down to a packed house at crobar. and justine d was at lit, a residence which ended earlier in 2006. justine has been busy in the kitchen lately. morillo co-owns pacha - his sets have been declining yearly.

nov 27 2004 roger sanchez was at crobar. evan dando was at maxwells in hoboken. and kid america was at lit. sanchez- one of the few big room djs i still rate.

favourite cds in nov 2004 incl pavements crooked rain deluxe reissue. st etienne's travel edition greatest hits. the reissue of jobraith's early 70s glam pop LP. just got pavements 2006 reissue of wowee zowee its their best LP imo.

favourite art shows in nov 2004 incl delia brown's langorous LA watercolours at damelio terras.

my horoscope lucky colours for nov 2004 incl grey, pink, orange, & red.

my business meetings incl. malia mills swimwear on columbus ave.

* listening: dj vibe dancefloor portugal 12 aug 2006
__________________________________________________________
david morales on wktu:
george michael flawless- amazing late career hit for gm.
keep pushing on
lolas theme
inner city big fun
derrick may strings of life

junior vasquez
tamyra gray raindrops will fall X 2 . stunning vocal/deep house jam from jnr.
todd terry do it to the music
ellis d hands off
beyonce baby boy beats mix. great beyo from jnr w/sean paul - one of her best singles.