Start off your week in style, courtesy of the King of Men.
From a memorable, quote-filled (“How can you learn anything when you’re all talking?”) Dictators show 11 years ago this past weekend:
“Remember, I’m the best there is, I’m the best there ever was, and I’m the best there will ever be!!”
Handsome Dick Manitoba
Brighton Bar,
Long Branch, N.J.
Feb. 20, 1999
Filed under HDM, Live, Manitoba Monday
That’s the Joey Ramone introduction to the boys’ performance of “Who Will Save Rock and Roll?” in the 1999 movie Final Rinse — “Part This Is Spinal Tap, part Dirty Harry, and all tongue in cheek.” Read more at FinalRinse.com. In the meantime, enjoy the high-quality video, multiple camera angles and Joey R. acting.
— DFFD123
Filed under Adny, Dictators Assembled, Frank Funaro, HDM, Ross the Boss, Top Ten, Video, YouTube Tuesday
Photos courtesy of Mike Frigerio, nuclearjackalope.com
Mid-February marks the anniversary of a triumphant week the Dictators spent in 1981. This was the apex of their “reunion” era, and it was celebrated with 4 gigs in an 8-day span.
The run of shows kicked off at My Father’s Place on Lung Island on Feb. 3rd. It was a relaxed, loose gig. Mark the Animal was in the house, and much of HDM’s banter 
for the night centered on the entourage of beautiful women Mark brought with him. He of course joined the band for the encores of “Two Tub Man” and “Search and Destroy.” The public debut of “Loyola” also took place this night.
The week continued with a high-profile gig at Club 57 on St. Mark’s Place on Saturday, Feb. 7th. Huge crowd, total mayhem, a great night. A large chunk of this show made its way to a Manhattan cable TV show called Paul Tschinkel’s Inner Tube. Here’s a link to the first couple of tunes from the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-3yTsF1KeQ.
Gig #3 was on the following night at the Fast Lane in Asbury Park. These pics from that gig are courtesy of our good pal Mike Frigerio. Check out the rest of his great photos and toys at www.nuclearjackalope.com.
Filed under Dics Pix, Dictators Assembled, Live, The Cincotta Archives, Video
Photo by Josh Lewis
The DFFD Blog wishes Scott “Top Ten” Kempner a first-class birthday celebration today (Feb. 6)!
The staff of the DFFD Blog takes a moment from praying for a Saints victory (OK, that’s just DFFD123) to imagine the awesomeness that would occur if the Dics were the 1/2-time entertainment for this weekend’s Super Bowl, instead of 1/2 the Who:
Filed under Dictators Assembled, Tomfoolery
Robert Barry Francos’ Ffanzeen blog features new goodies as well as archival treasures from his New York music magazine, which he published from 1977 to 1988.
A couple of weeks ago, he delivered a couple of oldies and goodies for Dics fans in a post called “The Dictators Can Sing! Two early pieces on the DFFD band.”
The first is a 1977 live report by Todd Abramson (now co-owner of Maxwell’s in Hoboken, N.J.) of an unannounced CBGB’s show, during which the band performed songs from the upcoming Bloodbrothers album:
Filed under Archive, Dictators Assembled, Interview, Live, Live Review
Photo by Yannick Perrin
Rejoice, for today (Jan. 29) is the anniversary of the King of Men’s birth! The DFFD Blog joins HDM’s legions of devotees worldwide in wishing him a most resplendent birthday celebration.
THE DICTATORS RE-FORM TO HEADLINE
“THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF PUNK”
CONCERT AT THE RITZ, NYC
January 24,1986
Ross and Scott with the Dics at the Ritz in '86. Photo courtesy of CJ Scioscia
NYC? The Big Apple? Me? It was January, 1986. I was 32, and had never been east of Dayton. But when the call came from Salvi, telling me about the Dictators reforming to headline the “10th Anniversary of Punk” at the Ritz, I did what any red-blooded Dictators fan would do … I borrowed $250 from my then-girlfriend and headed to Midway Airport! I hopped a Thursday night flight to Newark via People’s Express, a budget airline that required passengers to pay in cash once the plane was in the air! People’s Express made traveling by Greyhound seem like a first-class trip in comparison. But I got there in one piece. Who knows what fell off that plane en route?
I landed at Newark, no plans, no room, ending up crashing at the Ben Franklin Inn (“Where a Penny Saved…”). Friday dawned bright and crisp, I grabbed an eventual bus to downtown Newark. A nice gentleman sat next to me immediately, asking me lots of questions, several times inviting me to hop off the bus for “a drink or two.” People sure were friendly in Newark! And I’d heard such bad things.
Filed under Adny, Archive, Dictators Assembled, HDM, Live, Live Review, Mark the Animal, Ritchie Teeter, Ross the Boss, Top Ten
See what you might have missed in The Dictators Holiday Gift Guide!
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