Monthly Archives: May 2011

by Salvi C. | May 25, 2011 · 1:54 pm

Life’s Rich Pageant

It truly has been a long, cold, lonely winter. Now that the overcoat and shovel are finally put away for the year, it’s time to start thinking about the summer. As a sneak preview “must add” for this summer’s soundtrack, our favorite renaissance man, J.P. “Thunderbolt” Patterson, has sent along an early mix of his forthcoming single. The new tune is called “Life’s Rich Pageant,” and it is 2:40 of pure pop for now people.

Like just about every tune on his 2009 CD, “The LP is Dead,” which is still available from No Fun Records, LRP is right at the sweet spot where the Raspberries meet Thin Lizzy. A punchy intro, a soaring and ascending chorus, a ripper of a guitar solo, and the whole shebang is done before you have a chance to say “wow!” Multiple plays are obligatory.

The final format for Life’s Rich Pageant,” whether cyber-single or an actual 45, is still up in the air, but we’ll share those details once the dust settles. In the meantime, be sure reserve space for the tune on your next mix tape, so you’ll be able to blast it while cruising in your b*tchin’ Camaro with your main squeeze.

— Salvi C.

Happy 60th Birthday, Joey Ramone!

Today would have been the great Joey Ramone‘s 60th birthday … if you’re in NYC, you can catch three Dictators (Andy, Ross and J.P. — not together) at tonight’s annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash! More info here.

— DFFD123

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Filed under Adny, PSA, Ross the Boss, Thunderbolt

by DFFD123 | May 17, 2011 · 3:58 am

YouTube Tuesday: Get It While You Can!

According to billboards along the highway (I-95, north and south!), May 21st is Judgment Day. To help ease your ensuing pain and suffering, Andy Shernoff has released a new song: “Are You Ready To Rapture?”

The full-fledged video will arrive in the summer — if there is a summer! — but click above to listen to the track in full now. You can also download it for free at AndyShernoff.com!

— DFFD123

Blame It On the Burgoo (aka, It Was Atticus’ Fault)

The Dictators’ Kentucky Tour, May 10-11, 2002

Another year, another Dictators-related road trip, this time to the land of the Kentucky Derby, Muhammad Ali, mint juleps, Fort Knox and the Louisville Slugger.

As soon as Salvi arrived at Midway early Friday, we hit the road toward the glorious bluegrass of Kentucky, by way of Cincy, home of our future RTB friend, Dawnowar. Passing Riverfront Stadium (we shoulda caught a few innings), and it’s still-under-construction replacement, crossing the Ohio, into sleepy Newport, Kentucky, home of the Southgate House, site of the Dictators’ first-ever Kentucky gig.

The Southgate House is on my shortlist of cool rock venues. A huge mansion near the river, a bar & restaurant upstairs, and in the basement, a ballroom/concert hall that had served as the birthplace of the Thompson Submachine Gun (see Al Capone). Tables and chairs surrounded a dance floor, great sound, good sightlines and cold, cheap beer.

Cincinnati band Thee Shams opened with a tough set. The Dictators took the stage, clawing through a 19-song, 76-minute set — heavy on “D.F.F.D.” — with HDM proclaiming, “We can’t curse tomorrow night, so we’re gonna curse a lot tonight.” (He did). At one point a tipsy, short-shorts-wearing Kentucky woman hip-checked our table, sending my old film Kodak flying, never to take another picture. But like a bat broken delivering a game-winning hit, it died happy. The Dictators’ set flew by in a blur, it wasn’t until we later listened to Sal’s tape that we realized just how fierce that set was. The weekend was off to a kickazz start.

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Filed under Archive, Dictators Assembled, Live, Live Review

by Salvi C. | May 3, 2011 · 4:18 pm

More Hair Than a Barbershop Floor

Can we nominate Bill Graham for sainthood and be done with it? After years and years of having no live footage of the 6-man line-up available except for 1 tune from the Old Grey Whistle Test, Wolfgang’s Vault comes across with an entire 50-minute set, from Winterland in San Francisco on 7/30/77. Fantastic quality, multiple cameras, many Jewfros, arena stage moves by the galore. Grab a beer, and prepare to be amazed:

Wolfgang’s Vault: The Dictators

— Salvi C.

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Filed under Archive, Dictators Assembled, Internets, Live, Video

by Salvi C. | May 1, 2011 · 6:04 am

Where’s My 2 Dollars???

On this day in 1977, the Dictators took the Belt out to Lung Island for this gig at Ubies. I’d bet a bomb pop that the “Guest Attraction” was either the Good Rats or Twisted Sister, since Ubies was a regular spot for both bands. The rumor remains unconfirmed that Ritchie Teeter and Mark the Animal, both native LI’ers, had to translate for the evening.

$2 cover!! That didn’t even cover the tolls to get there!