Category Archives: Dictators Assembled

YouTube Tuesday: Putting the ‘Wow’ in Bilbao

You know what sucks? When you put off doing something pretty special ’cause it’s slightly inconvenient — you don’t have quite enough vacation time at your stupid job, or you’re a little low on cash — so you say to yourself, “Next time. I’ll do it next time.” My “next times” include attending a performance of the legendary Les Paul at Iridium, which he did EVERY DAMNED MONDAY for eons while I lived within walking distance (d’oh!); and seeing James Brown in person, which I should have done several times over since he always played the club right across from my office, but no, the last time it was, like, 85 bucks, so when did I finally see him? WHEN HE WAS LYING IN A COFFIN IN HARLEM (D’OH!).

And it was always the stupid job, the stupid cash keeping me from traveling to witness the Dictators knock ’em dead in the rock’n’roll mecca of Spain (d’oh?). But thanks to tipster Esther Lecanda and the fine camera work by YouTube hero Rock & Roll First Line (see all his great uploads here), I can at least pretend to not have missed out on that last “next” time, as long as I blow up these Rocktober ’08 vids from Bilbao’s Kafe Antzokia, squint a little and turn up the speakers. Gracias, fellas!

Enjoy, the rest of you — and carpe diem.

“Avenue A” (featuring the kindest, gentlest ejection of a stage crasher anywhere, ever)

Click through for three more rockin’ vids.

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YouTube Tuesday: Happy Birthday, Joey Ramone!

On the eve of Joey Ramone’s birthday, let’s remember the happier birthday bashes of the past. Like this one, on May 19, 1998, at Manhattan’s Coney Island High, as the birthday boy himself joins the Dictators for the Who’s “The Kids Are Alright.”

I was there and recall enjoying it immensely, but I do admit that I took it all (seeing Joey, the Dictators, cool music venues in Manhattan) for granted at the time … sigh.

The annual bashes have always been awesome for ‘Tators fans — and this year, Thunderbolt Patterson will be among those representin’. More info:

Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2010

— DFFD123

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Hot Vinyl on eBay: This Is Not a Test

Test pressingTest pressing
Head to eBay now for a chance at this test pressing from the Teeter collection:

The Dictators Test Pressing Sleepin with the TV on edit
Ultra RARE Allied Record Company Punk Science Gone Too Far

— DFFD123

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‘You Don’t Know Us … But You Will!’

The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!Note: This is the last in a series of posts in The DFFD Blog Goes Girl Crazy! special — a monthlong commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the release of ‘The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!’

For this last post in our March celebration of our favorite band’s seminal first LP, we’ll let a couple of actual Dictators have the final word:

Ross the Boss: That’s amazing, 35 years?? Well, I’m here in Germany tonite and thinking what a monumental album that turned out to be, no words can describe my pride!

J.P. “Thunderbolt” Patterson: In 1975 I had the only subscription to “Creem” magazine in my middle school. I took one look at the Dictators and remember saying to myself…”I wanna be in THAT band.” Gee, I wonder how that worked ? Jury out ?

Dictators Epic promo

Epic Records promo shot


— DFFD123

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‘The Ferocity, Melody & Humor Were Undeniable’

The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!Note: This is one of a series of posts in The DFFD Blog Goes Girl Crazy! special — a monthlong commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the release of ‘The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!’

So I had tickets to see Blue Oyster Cult with this weird band the Dictators opening in 1977, at the Ocean Ice Palace. The show never happened, but it was because of this show that I became aware of one of the greatest bands I’ve ever heard. The next day, I went to the local record stores and saw Manifest Destiny in one shop, and the first LP in the other store across the street. After looking both over, I chose Manifest Destiny, because of the Metropolis cover. I played it like 20 times in a row, and next day returned for the first LP.

After hearing MD, I was quite shocked by the rawness. This was one of the first really “Punk” records I had ever bought! It took a few listens to adjust to, but the ferocity, melody & humor were undeniable. This LP was like a sledgehammer. Even the liner notes were great & the picture of the band at White Castle was on my wall for years. Even the cover pics kind of made you want to be a rock star, because their rooms looked like mine! And the songs just kept coming, Master Race Rock, incredible stuff. Even the kitschy cover of I Got You Babe was never skipped.

Mike Mindless

Mike Mindless

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‘You’ll Go Bozos for It!’

The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!Note: This is one of a series of posts in The DFFD Blog Goes Girl Crazy! special — a monthlong commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the release of ‘The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!’

Some reviews from Back in the Day, dug up by my esteemed colleague Salvi C.:

The Dictators Go Girl Crazy may be the most self-indulgent, impossible, elitist, brilliant recording ever.” — Trouser Press

“This album is vulgar. But impressive.” — Creem

“You’ll go bozos for it!” — Dictators Fanzine #1

— DFFD123

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A Faith ‘Completely and Utterly Justified’

The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!

Note: This is one of a series of posts in The DFFD Blog Goes Girl Crazy! special — a monthlong commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the release of ‘The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!’

I guess it was Spring of ’75. My friends and I would take trips to hit up the import racks at Listen Records in Glasgow’s Cambridge Street. Next Big Thing logo Something in the deepest recesses of my mind tells me that I read about The Dictators Go Girl Crazy in Hot Wacks magazine. This was an Edinburgh based maga(fan)zine run by a guy by the name of Bert Muirhead who also had an amazing record store called Ezy Rider. Being a huge BÖC fan and ergo interested in what Sandy Pearlman and Murray Krugman were up to, it was a natural gravitation thing.

In those days records wore their hearts on their sleeves. Literally. There was no question of this being anything less than a belter. I didn’t even listen to any of it on the cans in the store. Four of us bought a copy each, Jack Seath (RIP) , Bert McMillan, Roy Litts and myself. All it took was a few seconds for our faith to be completely and utterly justified.

Andy and Lindsay

The author, Lindsay Hutton, with Andy Shernoff, at Andy's place in September 1983

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Congrats, Stooges! Nice speech, Billie Joe!

No matter what you think of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you gotta be happy for Iggy and the Stooges  (“Roll over, Woodstock!” “Come on, let’s get some rich ladies up here!”).

And you’re definitely gonna like this speech if you’re a Dictators fan — especially if you appreciate the eloquence of our own Top Ten.

— DFFD123

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