Come on, let's rock n roll with SHONEN KNIFE!

I haven't bought the new Shonen Knife record yet, but I'm really excited to buy it in person tomorrow night at The Casbah!!!!!! They just released a Ramones tribute album titled OSAKA RAMONES, chock full of all The Ramones' best!!!! Yeahhh!!!!





Here's a medley of all the songs.... so cute!!!!

Oh yes it's ladies night ohhhh what a niiiiighttt

Video of the day

I found this video by accident today and it's SO AMAZING. First of all, the host ladies are as cute as a mouse's ear!!! Secondly, a live interview with Lene Lovich AND Holly from Holly and the Italians?! SAY WHAT?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flip your wig!

I've been waiting FOR-EV-ERRRRRRRR for someone to upload The Wigs onto Youtube. Hallelujah!!! This super fun band is from San Diego. I found this record in the Blue Meanie Records budget bin about 10+ years ago. I don't know anything about this band, only that they put out a 4-song 7-inch EP in 1980 and the singer, Cindy Bradley, apparently founded the San Pedro Ballet Company. I could be wrong, but the record may be on the same record label that put out The Standbys (another rad San Diego punk band) record (?) Photos by Marshall Astor

Who said girls can't rock?!

The B Girls lived such a small band life, but were great nonetheless. They relocated to New York from Toronto, sang back ups for Blondie on the Autoamerican album, stirred up some buzz in music zines, recorded a handful of songs... only to release one 45 on Bomp! Records. I really think they could have been the east coast version of the Go-Go's!! The original lead singer quit right before they were about to open for The Clash. They have a pretty cool website, check it out here. A compilation of all their recordings was released a few years ago and you can buy it here. Some of the songs were even recorded by Debbie Harry!!

Check out this awesome rare footage of a Sid and Nancy interview... the girl on the far right is Cynthia from The B Girls and her then-boyfriend. Some guy named Stiv Bators...never heard of him... ;-)

Shonen Knife in San Diego

Shonen Knife is playing in San Diego on November 2nd with the amazing Shannon and the Clams and my band (Jungle Fever). More info here!

Before she was Poly Styrene

Before she was known as the powerhouse that fronted X-Ray Spex, Poly Styrene recorded a few reggae/pop demos on GTO Records under her real name, Mari Elliott. (GTO Records also released one of my favorite singles of all time!)





I recently purchased a reissue of this single on blue vinyl at Amoeba Records. Occasionally, the same record label who put out those Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen reissues has them on their eBay store, but it doesn't appear they have them for sale at the moment...

Q&A with Layla Cooper from the Wrong Words

Layla Cooper is the bee's knees, ya'll. She's been in a handful of rad bands and is a kick ass drummer. Her latest band, The Wrong Words, just released a full-length self-titled LP on Trouble in Mind Records.


Kelly: Hi Layla!! What are some of your early musical influences and do you remember the first record you ever bought?

Layla: I remember exactly the very first records I bought. I grew up in Tucson, AZ and I was in the 7th grade when I read an article about riot grrrl in a magazine. I asked my mom to take me down to Toxic Ranch records (which is still there, by the way), where I bought my first purchases (on vinyl): Bikini Kill S/T, Jane's Addiction" XXX Live Album", and the Lemonheads "Hate Your Friends." Not long after I got really into surf and garage music and bought a 60s Gibson organ after becoming obsessed with the song "96 Tears." There was a very strong garage scene in the early/mid 90s in Tucson. Some of my favorite bands as a teen were the Drags, the Gories, Supercharger -- all bands with super cool ladies in them!

K: Are there record(s) in your collection that make people drool, if so, please fill me in.

L: I don't know how to answer this because I don't tend to buy records for their collectability. I certainly have been lucky to stumble upon some cool things over the years of digging through dusty record shops. Probably the most expensive record I ever bought was an original copy of the Milk n Cookies album that I bought on eBay. Back then it was a holy grail item for me ... I guess the original is still hard to find but I know you can get a copy on tape from Burger Records and a vinyl reissue as well. I also bought a cool Barracudas test pressing single at the Pasadena flea market years ago. I think I paid $10 for it and the guy who sold it to me said that it was from Rodney Bingenheimer's collection but who knows if that is true! So many things that used to be difficult to find have been reissued now ... I know that a lot of collector snobs like to complain about that, but at least the music is available to folks and the collectors can still feel superior with their OG white label promos and such. :) (Oh yeah another gem from my collection is my Lancelot Link and the Evolution Revolution album that a very sweet and dear friend of mine named Kelly sent me for my birthday one year!!!!) WHO... ME?!! ;-)


K: You have an insanely good taste in music. Can you let us know some "hidden jewel"-type bands/singers from the 60's/70's/80's that we may not know about?

L: Ha, I also don't know how how to answer this one either. In this plentiful age of music downloading and reissues I don't even know what still qualifies as a "hidden jewel." I recently read a great article about Carol Kaye, who was a session musician with the wrecking crew. She played bass on sooooooooo many famous recordings in the 60s and 70s. Most people probably have no idea that the same woman is behind the scenes on all those recordings, so I definitely consider her to be a "hidden jewel" in that respect.

K: How long have you played the drums and can you let us know all the bands you've played in?

L: Well when I first wanted to learn to play the drums when I was 10 and really into Motley Crue. My mom let me sign up for marching band in school and I wrote in my diary that I wanted to be "just like Tommy Lee," but I was too bored playing on a plastic practice pad and quit not long after starting. I actually learned how to play drums when I was 15 at my friend Seth's house. We had a whole slew of bands in our teenage years including the Shimmy Beckers and the Knock-Ups. We moved out to SF when we were 18 and re-formed the Knock-Ups with our friends Karen and Bryan who now play in the Suspicions in Seattle. Later I was in a powerpop band called the Close-Ups, then in Top Ten and White Music, which later sort of morphed into the Wrong Words. Also, this past year I filled in for some shows with Hunx and his Punkettes and got to play with Seth again which was really fun. I am currently cooking up some special projects with some of my awesome lady friends that I am really looking forward to!


K: Out of all the shows you've ever played, what's your most memorable show?

L: Wow, hard to say. I've been on a bit of a nostalgia kick lately, having fond memories of a show I played when I was 17 and living in Tucson with the Drags and the Rondelles from Albuquerque, NM. I think I booked my younger brother's band to open!

K: What are some of your favorite modern bands?

L: Wow, there are really too many to list! This year I have been really in love with the albums put out by Detroit bands Conspiracy of Owls and the Pizazz. We just played with an amazing band from France called the Gaz Gaz that blew my mind. I've also been discovering the Latin American music scene. I recently went to Mexico City with my buddy Allyson for a show our friends Los Infierno (a current band who just put out a great album) played with the 60s bands Los Saicos and Los Sleepers! I've been learning about some cool Latin American bands like ... Los Peyotes from Argentina, Os Haxixins from Brazil, and I got this cool comp from a friend called "Brutales Matanzas" that has a bunch of current Mexican punk bands and a few from Peru. I'm going to Turkey and Italy in about a month, so I can't wait to see what kind of tunes I come back from that trip with! ***(To Layla from Kelly!!) When you go to Turkey, try to find records from a singer named Selda. My boyfriend turned me on to her music. She's amazing!! Sample one of her songs here.


K: OK, let's talk about The Wrong Words. Who are the other members, how did you meet them? Are they in other bands?

L: Josh Miller and I met when I joined White Music back in 2008. A couple of of Wrong Words songs were actually written by Josh back when we were in White Music together. After White Music broke up Josh and I were commiserating at the Attic one night. Our friend Ajax showed up and suggested that the three of us try playing together and the rest is history! Ajax is the front-man for a crazy Spinal Tap-style metal band called Thunderbleed and Josh plays in so many other bands around here ... Sir Lord Von Raven, the Greg Ashley Band, sometimes with Bart Davenport and Farmer Dave, and probably some other things I am forgetting.


K: The Wrong Words have been compared to The Quick, Nick Lowe, The Barracudas, etc... how would you describe your sound and what bands influenced your sound for this band?

L: All three of us have pretty different tastes in music, but there are definitely some common denominators that we can agree on. We all share an appreciation for not-too-perfect pop songs. I can tell you one thing we all don't agree on and that's the Replacements. Ajax thinks he doesn't like them but I'll be damned if I didn't see him dancing to "I Will Dare" when the Daed Pizza djs played it at our show in Brooklyn the other week.


K: Is the new album on Trouble in Mind Records your only release? Do you have plans for future releases, 45s, LPs, cassettes?

L: We have released a single and an LP on TiM as well as a song on TiMs 2011 Record Store Day 2011 7". I guess we're kind of "going steady" with Bill and Lisa. We're working on some new material right now, but I can't say for certain what the future holds for the Wrong Words!

K: Do you have any shows/tours coming up?

L: Yes! We are coming to LA over Labor Day weekend (THIS VERY weekend) to play some shows with our friends the White Wires and the Mean Jeans. You can see all the info here.

If you could drum for any band, old or new, what band would it be?

Ha, you know, I'm so bad at picking ONE of anything. I never can claim a favorite anything. What if I had been the drummer for ... The Pleasure Seekers?! Or Rockpile?! Or ... GG and the Jabbers?! It would be pretty funny if I got a call from Terry Adams to play in his version of NRBQ!

K: This isn't music-related, but you're a fellow foodie like me and inquiring minds want to know!! What is, hands-down, the best place to eat (savory) in the SF area?

L: Ha, well see my comment above! I can't say what the BEST place to eat is in SF, but I can say that my dying meal would probably be from Swan's Oyster Depot on Polk Street. I would order a dozen oysters, crab cocktail with sauce on the side, a cup of clam chowder and a pint of Anchor Steam beer. Actually, a lot of my favorite eating spots are in LA. I can't wait to go there this Thursday and eat with all my pals down there who I miss a ton!

K: What's the best dessert place in SF?

I don't know but I can tell you that the salted caramel pudding from Flora in Oakland regularly makes appearances in my dreams!


Check out this amazing flyer archive that Layla's friend, Jason Willis, put together of old band flyers - some of her early band's flyers are in here!!

This video is out of control CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!

Rad band alert: Chains of Love

My friend Ryan gave me a heads up about a new band from Vancouver called Chains of Love. They are good... I mean really, really good. I don't really know that much about this band, so if you have more info I can post up here, please email me kellyfeverxo (at) gmail (dot) com. Photo credit: Kate Williams

You Got It totally nails the Phil Spector Wall of Sound:



Breaking My Heart could've been on the very first Ronettes album on Colpix, the singer even has the Ronnie-esque squeal from this song down to a tee:



All the Time is a little more raw, kinda reminds me of The Detroit Cobras...

The Go-Go's turn 30

Record snobs, listen up! The Go-Go's re-issued their debut LP on limited edition PINK VINYL for their 30th anniversary. The CD version is a 2-CD set featuring a 17-song live show from 1981!! So rad. Buy the LP here.

(DON'T) hang the DJ

I did it. I finally did it. I did that annoying move where when you're at a bar and a rad song is playing, you flag down the DJ and ask him who it is, ask them to physically show you the record and also tried to start a conversation about the band. I couldn't help it!! It was a girl singer... I'll just consider it research for my little bloggy.

Animals & Men.

They named themselves after an Adam and the Ants song, so I already am intrigued. Read all about them here. They recently recorded a new album. If you're a fan of female-fronted post punk, you'll definitely like this band...

Before they were stars

...because we all have to get our start somewhere, right?



Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders)
Ohio-born Hynde moved to Europe in the mid 70's and joined several bands before she struck gold the The Pretenders. She sang in a band called The Frenchies, played guitar in a band called Masters of the Backside (later known as The Damned) (!!!), joined the Johnny Moped Band and right before the formation of The Pretenders, played guitar in The Moors Murderers.



Debbie Harry (Blondie)
I just found out she used to be a waitress at Dunkin' Donuts... this is my kinda gal. She also used to be a Playboy Bunny. In the 60's she sang in a folk pop band called Wind in the Willows - it took me YEARS to find a copy of their record! Click that link to hear them and see the cover, you'll see a pre-blond Deb! Right before Blondie formed, her and Chris (Stein) (Blondie's guitarist/Debbie's boyfriend), started a female-fronted group called The Stilettos. Debbie and Chris then formed BLONDIE. Thank goodness! Blondie's 2-CD compilation Platinum Collection has some amazing early Blondie songs that never made it to vinyl... such a shame because they are GREAT songs:







Suzi Quatro
Before she became the most badass woman of ALL TIME, she played bass in a rad all-girl band in the 60's called The Pleasure Seekers with her sister Patti (who went on to form Fanny). Pssst! Check out the latest Ugly Things for a really interesting Pleasure Seekers article.





Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go's)
Before she joined one of the most successful girl groups of all time, Charlotte played bass in LA punk band The Eyes. She sang on the song below... soooo rad...





Annie Lennox (Eurythmics)
A few years before the Euythmics formed, Annie sang in a poppy new wave band called The Tourists. They released a few albums, but I don't think they had much mainstream success in America...





Carole King
I consider Carole one of the greatest female songwriters of all-time. She recorded a few cute pop songs in the 60's before she really made it big as a solo artist in the 70's... I LOVE this song!!!





Tammy Terrell
Before this gorgeous lady was singing duets with Marvin Gaye, she was known as Tammy Montgomery and singing alongside James Brown... no biggie. This track is hellaaaa rare on vinyl, but if you can find it: BUY IT. AND PLAY IT. A LOT.

RIP Poly Styrene

Another one... gone. Read about it here. :-(

New band alert: The Lumps

SD's Miss Liss Piss has a new band called The Lumps. If you like that late 70's/early 80's KBD punk sound, you'll dig this band a lot. Check 'em out:

New arrival bin

WANDA JACKSON'S NEW ALBUM, The Party Aint Over, drops at the end of this month on CD and vinyl!! I'm sooooo excited for this one!

The 4-LP Kleenex/Lilliput boxset is up for pre-sale here. It's scheduled to be released in mid-February. The first 50 pre-orders come with a free Kleenex LiLiPUT button and the first 100 pre-orders come with a free Kleenex LiLiPUT promo poster. I'm assuming this is going to be limited edition, so order now!!

THIS should be RAD! Joanie Sommers Complete Warner Bros Singles will be released late next month. If you're not familiar with her, check out the little blurb I did a few months ago.

Funky Frauleins Vol 2 - late 60's, 70's and some 80's German ladies doin' funk, jazz and disco!

Coming in February, Come and Get Me: The Complete Liberty and Imperial Singles Volume 2. A rad Jackie DeShannon compilation CD!

If you like Nico, you may like Bridget St. John. A reissue of her 1969 debut LP will be released later this month.

So he's a murderer... but he's still my (musical) hero. Is that bad? Pre-order Wall of Sound: The Best of Phil Spector here.

Set to be released in a few days, a 3-LP Best of ESG comp!

I couldn't find that much information about this, but in March of this year there will be an 11-CD box set of Aretha Franklin's complete Columbia Records recordings. Whoa.

This looks amazing! I think most people are only familiar with Kiki Dee's 70's career, specifically her duet with Elton John (Don't Go Breaking My Heart) - but don't realize she had a singing career in the early to late 60's. I'm Kiki Dee: The Fontana Years 1963-1968 will be released in early February. Fun, groovy 60's pop! (check it out below)

RIP Lyn Todd

I wrote about Peroxide a few weeks ago and was informed by an anonymous commenter that the singer, Lyn Todd, passed away on December 1, 2010. So sad... a little more info about Lyn was recently posted on the Max's Kansas City website.

Stocking stuffers!!

It’s that time of year, people... time to figure out what the hell to buy our friends, family members, boyfriends/girlfriends or guys/girls that you "like-like". Here are some recommendations for the lady-rocker-lovers in your life:

Ronnie Spector’s Be My Baby. I read this book in one sitting. I actually own 3 copies of this book because people keep giving it to me as a present thinking I don't have it! The paperback version is updated with new material!

My Name is Love: The Darlene Love Story Again, a total must have.

When I Grow Up: a Memoir Juliana Hatfield’s book about her being totally talented and cool.

Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s definitely in my Amazon Wish List.

For the girl that's not quite old enough to be a guitar shredder, but will be in a few years: Rock 'n Roll Camp for Girls: How to Start a Band, Write Songs, Record an Album, and Rock Out!

RIP ARI UP Typical Girls: The Story of the Slits

I own two copies of this Blondie book. One for reading and one to cut out all the pictures and use them for an art project that never happened!

Punk Pioneers: When Punk Was Fun Probably one of the coolest and best punk photographers of all time, Jenny Lens, released a book a few years ago of all her amazing photography.

60's/70's fans might enjoy this one.

Pamela Des Barres wrote a book about being a groupie in the 60's and 70's. I've always wanted to read this and I'm sure she has some pretty... um... "interesting" stories...

I'm open to more suggestions! Send an email to kellyfeverxo (at) gmail (dot) com if you have any recommendations!

BUY IT: Chin Chin: Sound of the Westway

I wrote about Chin Chin last year, and for months have been putting off buying Slumberland Records reissue of Chin Chin's 1985 LP Sound of the Westway for no other reason than just being plain ol' broke as a joke. I finally shelled up some clams and bought it and HOLY SHIT I'm so glad I did.

The band's sound on their full-length album is a bit different than their debut single, We Don't Wanna Be Prisoners (listen below)



This song is amazing and lively. I love their gang vocals and it kind of reminds me of a tamer Vice Squad. However, their full length album that came out one year after Prisoners is chock full of that C86 girly pop punk sound, beautiful harmonies and almost border-lining on an edgy twee feel. Every song is upbeat and fun and the great thing about buying this on vinyl, like most new vinyl releases, there's a free download card inside that comes with a bonus early demo rehearsal medley of My Boy Lollipop and Da Do Ron Ron. That recording is seriously as cute as a baby bunny's tail!!

Chin Chin toured with The Shop Assistants and also played with The Pogues, Anti-Nowhere League, TV Personalities and New Model Army. While bands like The Go-Go's and The Bangles have always received a lot of attention in America as influential female-fronted bands, Chin Chin is a band that has obviously been overlooked.

You can listen to clips of every song on the album here and that link also provides a free download of their song Dead Life. Buy the album here!

Get with the program: Circle Pit

Circle Pit passed the Fred and Toody Cole's Rock n Roll 101 class with flying colors. They combine nonchalant dual male/female vocals with scumbag 80's/90's rock n roll. Their recent album, Bruise Constellation (Siltbreeze Records), is great because every song sounds different so you don't get bored while listening to it. Some songs are really melodic (like Beginning and the End, one of my personal favorites on the album, whose lead surf-drenched guitar solos throughout leave me mesmerized. You can listen to that song here) while some songs bring out singer Angela Bermuda's inner Nirvana-era Courtney Love meets Exene Cervenka, drizzled with some Kim Gordon and Toody Cole. This is the kind of album you blast as loud as possible while driving up the coast with all your windows rolled down. They're currently touring the states, check out their Myspace page and their blog. Listen to clips of the entire album here. Circle Pit plays Soda Bar November 8 with Jungle Fever and The Last Years.

Hurricane (first of the 3 videos below) is my favorite track off this album. If you like Dead Moon, I think you'll really dig this band.

Beyond the Valley of the Brood

The Brood is a KICK ASS all-girl garage revival band from Maine who started in the early 80's. They released a buttload of albums, singles and were featured on a slew of compilations. A complete (or semi-complete?) discography is here. If you like The Pandoras, you will love The Brood. I discovered this band when I was about 18 or 19 and was a wannabe mod. I had no money to buy cool clothes and even if I did have money to buy cool clothes, my Christian mom probably wouldn't have let me dress cool anyways. C'est la vie.