Slug Trails

Valentines day special !

2010-02-10T07:35:00.000-08:00

Hey go fuck yourself you in love motherfuckers.

Sorry about the time lapse in posts but I've been busy with www.tonyslug.com

Here's a few downloadable tunes from my Valentines day podcast (slugcast), enjoy.

part 1
part 2
part 3

www.tonyslug.com

2009-10-03T08:43:00.001-07:00

Stupid me, totally forgot I still had this domain registered but never used it.
This is the place where I will be hosting/pimping/archiving my stuff for direct download soon.

Hang in there and thanks for stopping by.

for our turkish fans

2009-09-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Some nitwitz information in Turkish language.
here

Well,,

2009-09-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

Disk crash. Hold on for tunes. Meanwhile, just in case..

Slug life

2009-09-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

If I had gotten a (Euro)buck every time someone told me "Sluggy, you should write a book, man." I'd be, well, not RICH rich or anything, but I could probably pay the rent for um, a month or two. Yes as all starving and misunderstood (f)artistes, I am struggling to get by, and should get another 20 scene points that alone.

Usually I respond "What the fuck for ? Who is gonna give two shits ?" and shrug off the wack idea of becoming one of those pompous "I was there in 1983, man" P-rock writers. I mean there's quite a bit of self-serving bullshit being published in the "punk books" department lately.

Well, then over a few months my girlfriend persuaded me and I got off my lazy ass and got to reminiscing and scribbling down bits and pieces describing some of the more comical and absurd adventures and situations on the road with B.G.K., the Nitwitz, Loveslug and Sonny Vincent. In at least 12 different countries. With theoretically makes for a better read than "I was a mohawked dumbass in Buttfuck Montana in the 80's".

While at a distinctive disadvantage (writing in a language that is not my mothertongue), not to mention my drug addled brain (alcohol damages the brain) and putting the bar pretty high, I hope to eventually turning raw words and incoherent brainfarts into something I can be proud of.

"Will it be as cynical and bitter as your grumpy self, Sluggy ?" you may ask.
Aw, hell yes. Expect many well-deserved ass kickings delivered to the behinds of those in the music industry I've been unfortunate to have delt with !
What I write will be 100 % true. OK, maybe 95 %, with 5 % added for comical value.

But it will also be funny.
No Pullitzer Prize or Oprah's book pick of the month type stuff, but I hope to document things that have been completely ignored by the mainstream press in this country, and maybe capture the early-mid 80's zeitgeist in Continental Europe and the US.

I realize that no matter WHAT I do, some people who shall remain unnamed here will criticize me for this narcissistic self-glorification, lack of continuity, no plot and aww my pussy hurts... but fuck them. I will expose the whole bunch of them for what they are. Katharsis, baby.

But my main objective is to provide an enjoyable read for anyone who is interested in "old school" punk rock/hardcore/rocknroll.

Things are still in embryonic stage so just wait.

Scott Morgan interview

2009-09-03T17:12:00.001-07:00

The following interview with Scott Morgan was first published in glossy Spanish rockmagazine RUTA 66 and snagged from the I-94 bar in translated form for inclusion in the pages of SLUGTRAILS for it's archiving/educational/trivia nerd value. Plus the fact that I get a stiffy from seeing my own name in print somewhere on the interwebs.

The Hydromatics hardly need an introduction for patrons of the I-94 Bar. If you haven't tracked down their latest album "Powerglide" through some European mail order shop, you're not trying. Fronted by Scott Morgan, formerly of the Rationals and Sonic's Rendezvous Band as well as a solo performer in his own right, and crewed by Europeans Theo Brouwer (bass) and Tony Slug (guitar), their numbers included moonlighting Hellacopters frontman Nicke Royale on drums, before he gave up the stool to Michigan's Andy Frost. Imbued with the spirit of Sonic's Rendezvous band (whose songs pepper their set list) and an equal part of Detroit R 'n' B, they're one of rock and roll's best kept secrets. With two albums under their belt and a live release in the pipeline, our Italian correspondent ROBERTO CALABRO caught up with Scott in 2002. Here's the result.

How and when did The Hydromatics start?

In 1998 I met Nicke Royale when the Hellacopters first came to New York. I became friends with him and the rest of the band and travelled with them on their U.S. tour. After we played Chicago he called Tony "Slug" Leewenburgh of the Nitwitz in Amsterdam and suggested we all record together. Tony enlisted Theo Brouwer on bass and a recording session was scheduled with Evert Kaatee at Yland Studio in early 1999. We each contributed two new songs and also recorded songs by Sonic’s Rendezvous Band, MC5 and Ricky Carter & the Weathervanes. Tony christened the album "Parts Unknown" and it was released by White Jazz Records later that year.

What have you done between your first and your second album?

After the recording in Amsterdam, I went to Los Angeles and played with my friends the Jones Brothers. We played at Spaceland with Wayne Kramer and did a recording session at the Beach Boys' old studio called Fourth Street now. It was Brothers studio when they owned it. We recorded Al Green’s "Full Of Fire" and my "Endless Summer". "Full Of Fire" is included in the Real-O-Mind release "Medium Rare". The vinyl version to be released on Munster has "Endless Summer" as a bonus track.'

In October '99 the Hydromatics toured Europe with the Hellacopters and Zen Guerrilla. Other than jamming with the Hellacopters in New York and Detroit, and playing a bit around Detroit, I didn't do much more than write new material in 2000. In 2001, I started by touring France and Italy with Deniz Tek and Sonic Assassin. Then I flew from Rome to Amsterdam to record "Powerglide". We did a Hydromatics European tour just before the release of "Powerglide" on Freakshow Records.

Why did Nick Royale leave the band?

Nick is pretty busy with the Hellacopters. He suggested we find someone else. I had been jamming with Andy Frost in Ann Arbor for about six months and now he was perfect for the job. I actually told him he was hired just before I left for the tour with Deniz.

Let’s talk about "Powerglide". It’s a great album perfectly balanced between a hard-rock side and a soul-oriented one. How did this kind of album come out?

I’ve always been a big soul music fan and I’ve been trying to blend it with the rock and roll. This time I decided to put in a heavier dose of soul and I think it worked out well. We even added a psychedelic soul bonus track "Starvin' ". That one reminds me of "Calling Lwa" on "Parts Unknown". It's a vodoo song to call up your patron spirit.

What are the main differences between "Parts Unknown" and "Powerglide" for you?

I think the extra soul influence is one difference. I wrote more of the material this time also. We added the background singers on this one too, and I think that added a lot.

Why on the new album did you decide again to play a bunch of Sonic’s Rendezvous Bands’ numbers?

On "Parts Unknown" Nick and Tony wanted to get studio versions of Sonic’s Rendezvous Bands songs that had only been recorded live. "Powerglide" continues in that tradition. This time we added two Fred "Sonic" Smith songs that we had done on "Getting’ There Is Half The Fun", the Rendezvous Band live in Detroit with Deniz Tek on Real-O-Mind Records.

Apart from the old SRB songs, are the other tracks new or do they come from different periods of inspiration and composition?

I wrote "Ready To Ball", "R.I.P. R & R", "Soulbone", "Tumblin Down", and "Green Eyed Soul" in the time I had off in 2000. Tony and I wrote "Powerglide" together.

What are your fave songs on the new album?

I’m very happy with the album as a whole. All the songs have their own merits. I think live and on record "Ready To Ball", "R.I.P. R & R", and "Soulbone" are naturals. As an album track "Tumblin’ Down" with the singers and horns arranged by Thijs Willemsen is undeniable.

Last year you released a great album titled "Medium Rare" that covers your career from 1970 to 2000. Can you tell me something about that release?

My friend Geoff Ginsberg at Real-O-Mind Records came up with the idea. He took all my unreleased tapes home with him and came up with a track listing that we edited slightly. It includes the last song the Rationals recorded in 1970 plus three songs from our reunion in 1991. It also included three of the recordings from the L.A. sessions. The rest are demos recorded over the years.

And what about the "Sonic Way Live", the last year European tour with Deniz Tek and (three members of) Sonic Assassin?

Deniz and I arrived at De Gaulle airport last March. We took a bus to the train station and had to run with all our gear to make the train. We arrived in Montpellier where we met Rauky (singer for Sonic Assassin, nda) who drove us to Sete. Then we went straight to rehearsal with the Pasquini brothers Romano (bass) and Pippo (drums) and Stefano Costantini (guitar and driver extraordinaire).

In France we played Toulouse, Theirs with the TV Men from Brittany and Puffball from Sweden and Niort where we recorded the gig. Then we head back to our base in Sete for one day of much needed rest before the overnight drive to Italy. In Italy we played Foligno with the Loose. Then we drive way down south to Calabria. When we finally arrived at Marzi, a small village near Cosenza, we entered town in the evening and the police pulled us over. It turns out they wanted to give us an escort into town. When we arrive at the outdoor concert site, we are greeted by the mayor.

The gig was great and it was also recorded for future release. Then we played Pescara and Rome where we recorded again but unfortunately the tape was stolen. All was not lost as Sonic Assassin knew a guy with a studio in the country where we transferred everything from Niort and Marzi to disc. We did some work on the tapes in Capena outside of Rome and Deniz did some more in Montana later. [ED: It will be issued in 2003 on Career Records.

After that, we hung out a few days with Romano and Pippo from Sonic Assassin, then I said goodbye to my friends and was off to Amsterdam to record "Powerglide" with the Hydromatics. I enjoyed my stay in Italy as I did France. I hope to return again with the Hydromatics.

www.answers.com on Scott | Scott on last FM

Travelling Dingleberries

2009-08-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned for more Slugrock shortly, folks.

Hydromatics rarities

2009-08-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

Previously unreleased Hydro stuff. Some of these songs were recorded during rehearsals for the "Powerglide" album (2002) while some of the other material was recorded live. Don't ask me where or when, though.

»Asteroid B612

Dangerous

Earthy

RIP RnR

You're So Great

Tumblin' Down

ROCK ME
password : slugtrails

Nitwitz Videos

2009-08-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

Some Nitwitz-as-a-threepiece vids from 2006, with Mikey Offender on bass and the Gadge playing drums as per usual.

Holy Sheep - Someday's Too Late CD (2003)

2009-08-13T23:53:00.001-07:00

Holy Sheep were a fun band from Leon, Spain. They asked me to produce them, when I was there. Which means this release is worthy of inclusion in the shit-stained pages of these vaults of woe known as Slugtrails

.

Having the weakest links in the line-up (bassplayer and drummer) lay down the basic tracks by themselves in a room the size of a shoebox wasn't my idea, I like it LIVE, and things became a ramshackle affair more than once, but oh well. Despite the somewhat limited vocabulary/command of the English language ("Spanglish") of guitar tandem Natalio and Jorge, I immediately recognized these young dudes charisma and knack for writing a killer hook. In addition I wanted to let their keyboard player, Irish ex-pat (and future Nitwitz driver!) Eugene McCarthy shine through on a few of the songs, which not everybody in the band agreed with. He is an amazing musician and really adds to the overall sound though.

So, anyone who'd like to familiarize themselves with Spanish rocknroll music would probably be well advised to check out this album by the Holy Sheep. Then move on to Torazinas, Senor No, N.C.C., etc ! Lots of cool stuff going on down there folks.
This thing came out both in LP and CD format.

GET IT | Holy Sheep Myspace | Holy sheep Video

Big Paulus - the big ripoff CD (1999)

2009-08-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

lookee here, another record I play on.
Cross fertilisation continues as Theo Brouwer (Hydromatics, Nitwitz, the Kliek) and Frank Sloos (Loveslug /Treble Spankers) punk up tacky/(un)funny/cool etc soul/disco/pop/glam covers in Big Paulus, calling it "tune recycling". Pretty silly but kinda fun for the occasional party I guess. Especially after smoking many a blunt, like those two Cheech and Chong looking stoner knuckleheads.
They picked a few tasteful covers though ! When they asked me to play a lead or two and do some backup singing just for fun, I was like, yeah, whatever, why not. It ended up on this CD which came out on Bask records in 1999. So make of this shit what you will.

pass:slugtrails
GET IT

01) My pledge of love
02) Theme from S.W.A.T.
03) My Coo Ca Choo
04) Hooked on a feeling
05) Theme from MEdical Center
06) What good am I without you
07) Portobello MArket
08) Across 110th street
09) Gonna fly now (theme from rocky)
10) Mr. Blue Sky
11) (Intro and Countdown) Are you man enough
12) Action
13) The Girl with the sun in her hair

Buy some Big Paulus shit

Nitwitz first EP 1980

2009-08-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

Just in case : This thing has been bootlegged a ton of times and from what I understand, there's all kinds of constipated "collector" nerds / knuckleheads out there paying 4-500 bucks and up on Ebay.
OK so only 750 copies were pressed but it's still ironic,
a) given the prominent "maximum price" message on the sleeve, roughly the equivalent of 2 US dollars.
b) that the recording budget for making this release was about $ 250
c)let's face it, IT'S JUST A PIECE OF PLASTIC.

But hey it's a free country.
Anyways, this was recorded early 1980. We were 16 years old and I'll go on record here saying we wanted to play fast LONG before it was cool.
And the proof is in the pudding.

The Nitwitz, 1980 : Tony, Eric, Marcel, Steven

GET IT

live Loveslug 1989 (Unreleased)

2009-08-13T20:11:00.001-07:00

Here's 3 Loveslug tunes recorded live in Germany in 1989. Previously unreleased. Taken from cassette tape.

- Charlie
- I want you right now
- Killing for company

pass:slugtrails
GET IT

live B.G.K. 1985 (unreleased)

2009-08-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

B.G.K. live in Berlin, 1985

3 B.G.K. tunes recorded live in Venlo, 1985. Previously unreleased, taken from cassette tape source and, ahem 'mastered' by myself for oomph. No overdubs. The real deal. And this, people, is fucking BAD ASS. It rocks.

- Arms Race
- Bite the hand (that feeds you shit)
- Crime pays

pass : slugtrails
GET IT

Sluggy interviews "Terrible" Bob Schreiber for CARBON14

2009-08-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

Not music, but interesting ! This interview with MMA legend Bob Schreiber was published in the great CARBON14 mag out of Philadelphia.

"No place for a streetfighting man" – the Rolling Stones
"Free fight, that's pussy stuff. Cage fights are where it's at.No rules only, of course,"

No one in their right mind would take such a bold statement seriously. Unless, of course, it comes from Bob Schreiber. A.k.a. Dirty Bob, Bob Schreiber of the Netherlands is a total hard-ass with a never surrender attitude. Boasting an incredibly succesful career in international M.M.A. (Mixed Martial Arts), his favorite style is fighting in a Russian cage without any rules, where head butts and other unorthodox techniques are allowed. This is clearly a man on a mission, and that mission is : KICKING THE WILLY DILLY TURTLE SHIT out of the opposition. Charging at his opponents with the fury of an enraged rhino, administering series of lowkicks powerful enough to fell an oak, the 233 lb. athlete's bone shattering punches have roughly the same effect as a wrecking ball dropped on your ass from high altitude. When that hammer comes down, dude, it's hard to stop. And I'll bet you half my record collection that your toughest buddies will drop a pound of patty in their pants at the sheer sight of this man. Although Bob is a TRUE legend among Martial Arts fans, it is a little known fact that the Multiple World Champion Free Fight was, in his younger (and I DO mean younger!) days, back in the late seventies, guitarist for Dutch uber-punks JESUS AND THE GOSPELFUCKERS.
This group did not only have the best bandname around, they also out-heavied all their peers, including yours truly (it pains me to say) . Think : the first DISCHARGE releases but 2 years earlier. The criminally underdocumented outfit from Amsterdam featured Bob's older 8 foot something brother Fred, and later Tos Nieuwenhuizen from the WHITE LINES, who went on to join FUNERAL ORATION, GOD., and is now in SUNNO))) Eventually, JESUS AND THE GOSPELFUCKERS morphed into AGENT ORANGE, (not to be confused with the Californian band of the same name) and their only legacy is the mercifully re-issued 1982 demo on Kangaroo Records.
It hardly captures the ferocity of the GOSPELFUCKERS early days, but it's better than nothing, and still castrates the opposition (despite the crummy graphics). After Bob had left the band, the group went nowhere, exploding like an off-course spaceshuttle , in a haze of enough drugs to make MOTLEY CRUE look like a straight edge group.
Well, Bob and me go back a long, long way.
No more guitarplaying for him, as he's broken just about every joint in both hands too often, on too many jaws. What makes this man tick ? And what will be left of me after the interview ? It's time for talkies ! Also present is Bob's wife, reigning world champion muay thai boxing, Irma "the Gladiatrix" Verhoeff.

Bob, the first time I saw you must have been mid 1978..

BOB : Christ, you remember that, really ?

remember it well. You were playing guitar for JESUS AND THE GOSPELFUCKERS.. At that time, the singer wore a priests outfit, and on stage he carried this stage prop around, an enormous cross with It had a life-sized, three-penis having crucified Jesus Christ effigie dangling from it. And in the middle, where the beams of the cross connect there was a round hole, big enough for the singer to put his head through. It was a real funny sight !

BOB : Really ? That so ? Jesus Christ man, you're right ! I can't fucking
believe you remember all of this, Tony ! What was that singer guy's
name again ?

Peter Paranoid or something. It was, like, a punk guys name.

BOB : Oh yes, shit..that's right !! Hahahaha ! Oh, man.

TONY : Now I don't mean to sound like, Sigmund Freud, but how did it all start ? How did you, as a young kid end up in a heavy punk rock band
back in in 1978, at the tender age of 12 maybe 13 years of age ?

BOB : Stoned as hell ! Well..OK, now you're gonna get a real sad divorce story...! See our parents divorced and the judge decided that my brother should live
with my dad, while I had to live with my mother. And my brother and me, we're like two peas in a pod. To this very day I never understood how the judge could decide anything to tear two very close brothers apart from one another during such difficult times when he should have kept things together. For our sake. Both of our parents where too much involved in their own trip to care, so my brother and me, we went our own ways. Back then I was doing really bad in school, you know what it's like..Smoking in the boys room, drinking beer when I was ten or eleven years old. Stuff like that. But in the weekends, me and Fred would hang out together, and we thought it would be a great idea to start a band. There was a little bit of punk stuff on the radio, we had heard a few records, the Sex Pistols, Stranglers.
In hindsight that was all fake punk, but what did we know ? My brother is musically gifted, I'm not, he plays the piano, and everything.

I remember Fred was known as someone who "could play", he could play leads ! A virtuoso ! But in retrospect, all he really did was pull up the G-string !

BOB : Haha..Yeah ! And we all thought it sounded great, right ? Then we worked for a while to generate funds to buy equipment with and started the band. Every weekend we would practise. And our first gig, god, when was that ? We called that place...the "ice palace".

TONY : It used to be a punk rock club called "no name", right by the royal palace..

BOB : Yeeeeeah. At the time the venue was still downstairs. So we did our
first show there...That's how we met...Christ, what were those guys
called again..? There was one Amsterdam band called INFEXION, and the
other one was called..?

TONY : The Bugs ?

BOB : (laughs) yes, that was them ! You're very well informed ! So the Bugs
said, why don't you guys use our rehearsal space. Down on Sarphatistraat. What was the name of that squat house again ? the Chaos House..?

Yeah.

BOB : So we moved our equipment there, and in the weekends we'd stay over.
And eventually my brother and me decided, fuck it, we're not going
home anymore, might as well just camp out here. I must have been maybe
12 years old back then. And our parents didnt care, anyways. It was
easier for them that I guess. So we never really saw them anymore. Me
and my brother talked about this later, how could they not even bother
about what we were doing and how we were doing ? Well, maybe they
did..I don't know.
TONY : Now you have children yourself I can imagine that would make
you wonder...
BOB : Yeah ! I don't want my kids end up doing the same jacked up shit that
I did !! (laughs)..
TONY : Dude, whereas the first wave of homegrown Dutch punk bands, The Speed
Twins, Panic, etc. may have been great in their own right, and some actually made great albums, basically they were semi-established musicians who cut their hair and tried to make a buck with punk rock. Then the generation after that, from 1978 on, the second generation, which was us, was punk kids who started playing music with no musical knowledge, experience or background whatsoever. Now a lot of the stuff
at the time, such as the EX, was all, ploink ploink, about being innovative and experimental.. But the GOSPELFUCKERS rocked really hard. What I'd like to know is why did JESUS AND THE GOSPELFUCKERS were so much heavier and faster than the other local bands of the time ?
BOB : We never thought of it that way. We didn't think we were heavier than
the others...But my brother and me have always been competitive and
really into fighting. Nowadays I can channel that in a more positive
way, that's why I have my own gym now and stuff...I turned my hobby
into my profession, hehe. We come from Haarlem (town 10 minutes west
of amsterdam) and we hung out with these guys..Man, these were
maniacs, total nutcases, who used tons of drugs, and were drunk all
the time. So these guys were a pretty dodgy. This may have been one
the reasons we were a bit rougher and maybe more streetwise than other
bands.
TONY : My band did a benefit for the Gospelfuckers in 1979 or so, because
their equipment had allegedly been stolen or something... And rumor
had it that Fred had simply sold the equipment, Raked in the insurance
money, and then organised a benefit gig !
BOB : Nonono, that is not the way it went. Look, this is the truth : There
was this three day punk rock festival for which we provided the
backline for all the other bands to play on. And the first day was
cool, but the second day, shit got totally out of hand. All these
local farmer yokels had come down from villages far and wide to beat
on these "punk rock freaks". And people from both sides ended up in
the hospital, trashed pretty severely. Then was riot police involved,
all kinds of stuff like that. So the next morning we discovered those
guys, the ones who had fought the punks, had broken into the venue,
and those motherfuckers completely destroyed our drumkit, amps etc.
Cut up every damn speaker in our cabinets. And then the local
authorities cancelled the rest of the festival.
TONY : I remember that. Law abiding citizens must have thought some biblical locust plague had descended upon them. Crazy haired freaks in leather jackets just everywhere, having sex in the open right in old people's rose gardens, oceans of puke, piss and beer everywhere. It was like, hello ! Armageddon just moved into your quiet rural town...
BOB : Hahahaha ! Yeah, Because punks had come from all over. From every part
of the country. By train ! And of course by the end of the night
everybody was too drunk to find their way home. they missed the last
train so the village was flooded with drunken punks. I remember having
about 30 people stay over at my mother's house which she did not like
one bit.
TONY : Say goodbye to those family jewels eh...? There was a lot of aggression directed towards punks back then. I can remember one time once you and me walked around Amsterdam and suddenly we find ourselves getting chased by 20 guys who wanted to kick our asses. Then we ran a few blocks down to the nearby squat house. I thought, "whew, sanctuary, we made it !" but all you wanted to do was get your
nunchakus !
BOB : To fight !!! HAHAHA ! Yeah !!! I always had them with me but maybe not
that particular day.
TONY : Hahaha that's right. Oh, man those very good times...
IRMA : he still knows how to use them !
TONY : Here's a picture of you and Fred, ca. 1982 from the Paradiso Stills book by Max Natkiel, where you have your nunchakus..The look on your face. You look possessed, man !
BOB : Hahaha, yeah !
TONY : (leafing through the pages of the book) Look how messed up everybody
is, ..All.. so whacked out.
BOB : Me and my brother did every damn thing God forbade... Heroin, speed, LSD, you name it, we done it. But we always managed to keep our drug habits in check somehow. Seriously, we could control it. After we had been on heroin for 2 or 3 days, we could just not touch it, leave it alone for another two or 3 weeks. But the people around us couldn't do that and most of them became addicts. Some lost their minds. Then it was just awful. I think everybody from our house was a junkie at some
point. But me and my brother just wanted to see how far we could take it, but we never became junkies. And when I was about 16, everything fell apart. I was in trouble with the police, you know ? Because I stabbed someone and made a shish kebab out of that guy. So they put me in prison. For quite a while actually. And when I got out, I got a job in a factory, melting copper. So the judge had told me to do something with my life, and channel my aggression. So I figured maybe I should
join a gym to practise judo and karate. But back then I was still smoking, drinking and doing a lot of drugs.. Dude, I snorted everything people put in front of me. And suddenly I noticed I wasn't quite as in shape physically as the other guys at the gym. Then one day I decided to quit all drugs. And I never touched any dope after that, ever. From that moment on I was completely focused on the sport.
TONY : Is there truth to the story you were kicked out of the band because
you were always too stoned ?
BOB : One hundred percent TRUE !!! (laughs)
TONY : That's ironic, and a paradox, even, given the Gospelfuckers later, let's say, preference for chemical inebriation. Some years down the line they had quite a few songs about drugs, and they certainly weren't "straight edge" anthems.
BOB: I was the first one in the band who starting using dope. This is back in the early days of the gospelfuckers, Fred began doing dope years later. He had envisioned himself to become a rockstar, of sorts. He thought there would be this "great musical career" for him somewhere down the line.
IRMA : And he's still trying !
BOB : But I discovered, very early on, that music was not my calling (laughs) . I always thought the band was a big joke. Just something fun to do for a while. So when they kicked me out, it didn't matter much to me, I didn't give a shit really, hehe
TONY : Do you remember that one time we played together somewhere in the rural south..Early 1979 maybe. And we all got arrested ?
BOB : Haha, that one I sure remember. Yeah, a motor cop pulled us over and found a bag of speed...So we had to get out of the truck, and there's like 30 people piled in the back, sardine style. "get out !" and More and more punks kept stepping out of the van, and the guy is like WHAAAT ? Another one ? ANOTHER one ? So when he called in reinforcements and they searched the truck, there's drugs, just EVERYWHERE, tons of it ! Weapons.. blackjacks, brass knuckles, knives... "Who does this belong to ? whose is this ?" etc. Nobody said a thing, naturally. (laughs)
TONY : Fun times ! The cops let us go, eventually. I suppose it was too much
hassle for them to deal with 35 drug crazed punkers from hell.
BOB : All they wanted was to get back the equipment from the club that we had stolen. I think we took a record player, maybe an amp and some speakers. Nothing big. No big deal.
TONY : Apparently the christians in the city council strongly opposed a
concert in their town by a band named "Jesus and the Gospelfuckers". It became political, and that was a pretty big deal.
BOB : Hahaha, for reals ?
TONY : Oh yeah. So, another anecdote., several years later, you came down to see
BGK, and we ended up in a local bar having a few beers, which ended up in bloodshed as well.
BOB : Hehehe, I can't remember that.
TONY : Everytime you finished your beer you threw your glass against the wall, shattering it. So at one point the bar owner, who was enormous, stepped up to you and went "Hey ! Stop that".
BOB : The man was right. Sure I can understand that.
TONY : You just said "stop what ?" while shattering another beerglass on the
wall. I cant remember how it ended up, but I'm pretty sure you stomped his ass and that there was an ambulance.
BOB : Hahaha, maybe I did. I can't remember.
TONY : You have to admit you were quite a bar brawler in those days.
BOB : Aww, fuck yeah. Sure. Always fighting…Man, ALWAYS ! I was fighting and fighting, whereever and whoever I could. My whole life has been about getting into fights anyways. Also in my later career as professional fighter ! Let me tell you, I don't go looking for trouble anymore, but I sure as hell ain't gonna step away from it either. No way. (laughs)
TONY : Like Elvis said "if you're looking for trouble, you came to the right place".
BOB : Fuckin A, that's right. For instance just last week Irma and me went to a movie theatre to watch a picture. We're the only people in the theatre except for a couple of guys, one of which was really, really big. And of course they're gonna sit right smack in front of us. Irma asked, politely, if they'd mind finding other seats, because, you know, the dude is so damn tall she can't see the screen. Then he goes "My ticket has this row and chair number on it. forget it, I ain't moving nowhere, and I'll stay put, bla bla." I say, "What's your deal, guy ? There's 200 empty seats to choose from." Next thing this fucking, giraffe looking asshole tells her to "shut the hell up" and flips her the bird. So there we go again ! Right in the cinema. (laughs)
TONY : (laughing) So you two whupped those guys asses ?
BOB : Of course we did ! Punched them all over the place..
TONY (still laughs)...Oh man, hilarious...
IRMA : Well, we gotta watch each other's back, you know ? heh heh
TONY : hehehe, those guys were messing with the reigning world champion muay thai and multiple world champion free fight.. Okay...Sounds like they got their 8 bucks admission worth..
BOB : We don't mind doing a little stomping here and there, hehe
IRMA : It's actually kinda fun to beat the crap out of some numbnuts when they ask for it.
TONY : Are you still interested in music at all ?
BOB : Yeah, a bit.
IRMA : When we hang out with Fred and he puts on this old punk it's like "yeah, this is cool" !
BOB : he's got wall to wall CD's, classic, rocknroll, punk rock. When he plays a punk rock record, I can't recall the bandname but I recognize the music right away, from the UK Subs to, what have you ..But at home I play different types of stuff these days. I like quiet and mellow stuff, lounge music. Because it relaxes me, I don't need loud fast music to get all worked up and aggro, like I used to. But
I'll still rock to old Iron Maiden or a good dose of old fashioned punk rock once in a while.

TONY : How's Fred doing ?

BOB : He's good.
TONY : Nice. So if we leave the musical part , and fastforward 15 years...Suddenly
you're top of the bill in the international fighting scene. And I'm like, WHOA ! And now for a, ahem, real stupid qeustion, can you explain in a nutshell how all that
happened ?
BOB : Same as my whole life story ! It's simply a gigantic, endless laugh ! All tied together by stupid coincedences and chance meetings. I went to this gym, did a little more of that, started teaching martial arts, so eventually I ended up at a renowned dojo in Amsterdam (Mejiro Gym). This led to tournaments and competitve fighting. And I'm liking it. It kinda went by itself, in a way. So I got really into the free fight thing, M.M.A, (Mixed Martial arts), and began fighting in Japan, which
went really well. Besides, I've always been an entertainer in some way. I want to give the audience a good show. I just love to be the centre of attention (laughs). When I enter a room, people will know I am there. People say I'm cocky, but..
TONY : You're just an outgoing kind of guy. You have been called flamboyant even ! Your routine before you step in the cage and all...
BOB : I took me a long while to prepare that, you know ? The audiences do appreciate it. Thing is, as soon as you're one cut above the rest, half the crowd will love you while the other half will hate you. But here's the catch : the people who hate you will also still come see the fight, because they want to see you lose ! And once people are talking about you, the whole thing grows, and it gets bigger and bigger. Also, because I have never ever EVER walked away from a fight. I'd take on anyone anywhere.
TONY : Bob, you are a maniac ! (laughs)
BOB : Haha, sure enough !! Dude, I have fought MONSTERS. And after those fights my damn head would be fuckin… pulp ! But for some reason I high threshold of pain, and can withstand a great deal of punishment, both physically and mentally. Plus I never give up. I'm used to fight ever since kindergarten. It's a natural thing for me. Then fighting back in the punk rock days, and I'm in the ring, or a cage, with a referee who'll stop the fight when it gets outa hand, hey, what's better than
that ? (laughs) And I have fought eight or ten dudes at a time when I was younger, four of them would be armed. So even though I'd get stabbed, I'd put a couple of those fuckos in the hospital. And afterwards it was like "hey let's go party, have a few drinks."
TONY : Uh-huh, that's how I remember you …
BOB : See, it's all just a big laugh to me. I don't give a damn. So next, people go "who is this lunatic ?" and talk about it. So then promotors want you to fight at their events. It came to a point where I was fighting every single free fight event there was, at least in Holland
IRMA : And getting paid for it
BOB : that's right. Getting paid for doing what you like !
TONY : You can't beat that ! So you're known as a bit flamboyant, I mean, everyone knows you're a tough, but not a particularly stylistic type of fighter. You just..get the job done. The other guy goes down. That's all.
BOB : That's right.
TONY : So how did you get your nickname "Dirty" Bob ?
BOB : I'm known as Bob The Terrible in Europe, while in Japan and the US they call me Dirty Bob. Because I'll do anything to win the fight. So, if during a match I
find myself thinking "this is not really going where I want it to", I'll stick a finger in a guys' eye. If that what it takes..(laughs out loud). So that may explain the nickname. Because I've sure as hell done that more than a few times, hahaha !
TONY : haha, I read you've also clobbered opponents after the bell rang...Stuff like that.
BOB : Yeah, heheh. I'll do whatever it takes. An little extra bonus after the bell, hahaha.
TONY : This one's on the house, eh ?..Do you mind having these, negative nicknames ?
BOB : I don't care what they call me. They can call me whatever they want.
TONY : How do you prepare for a fight ? You must train a lot of course, but do you
have a special diet maybe ?
BOB : Never. No diet. I train a lot, of course, but I never passed up a beer. Nothing like that. I like my beer. An I'd eat junk food too ! This of this has just been one endless joke. See how far I could take it.
TONY : So you don't analyze your opponent, by watching videos of their fights or
anything ?
BOB : Nothing like that. Once, I had to do a fight for some American promotor, he goes, your opponent is, you know, just some karate guy, wanna fight him ? It was just one week's notice so I'm like sure thing, I'll take him on. No problem. And I've always liked to drink my beer. So I get there and this guy, he's is a fucking MONSTER. He was HUGE, very strong, fast, so when they announced him it's "in the red
corner, world champion this, world champion that , fought here, there, this guy fought that guy, black belt bla bla." I'm scratching my head, going hmm that information is kinda new to me. (laughs) So that made for a REAL MESSY, very bloody fight. Simply becuase I don't give up. I keep on fighting guys like that. I never surrender. Never, ever.
TONY : Wow. And in such a profession as yours, how does it all work with medical insurance papers and things like that ? I mean, this is dangerous shit...
BOB : I never had anything like that. At one point I was working as a doorman, for a very, very dangerous joint. Together with my pal from the Antilles who is a total psycho too. Money was good, but you just spend it. I always lived from day to day. Kinda stupid actually. Even when we got children . People would go , are you ready for a child ? Are you sure ? I say, there's only two things that are certain in life
: that you pay taxes and that you'll end up in a box. And I still live like that hahah.
TONY : So you're fighting for the world title free fight and you get a really,
terrible terrible injury.
BOB : I've had all kinds of injuries..
TONY : I meant your ankle injury ?
BOB : I just kept on trucking and even did a few matches, with a shattered ankle, yeah.
TONY : Jesus, that's not normal, Bob.
BOB (laughs). I know it's not normal, but I have this laissez faire attitude. Everything is all a big joke to me.
TONY : No way you didn't feel that ankle, man.
BOB : Of course I did. But pain dosn't really bother me. I mean I can feel it, but I can somehow push it aside. If I don't feel like having pain, or don't have to time for pain, I simply don't feel the pain. But it came to a point I needed surgery badly, else the whole damn thing would have been pulverized. It still bothers me a bit to this day, actually.
TONY : God damn. You had to adapt your training schedule I would imagine.
BOB : That too. Same with my back injury, I've had a very serious operation in my backbone.But I kept on fihting for three years with a severely fucked up back.Most anyone else would stopwhatever they were doing and say "I can't go on with this pain"
TONY : There seems to be this pattern, you want more and more, expanding
your boundaries, see how far you can go. From Judo, karate, kick boxing, muay thai, then free style,cage fights, all this...You keep raising the bar. That has to stop at one point. Physically, for one, because you're not getting any younger...
BOB : I've reached my limits. I have now retired from professional fighting.
My last fight was a year ago. All kinds of people organised this farewell party for me but I don't give a fuck about any of that shit. As long as I get paid. I was 40 years old when I ended my career. And 40 which is not all that old in a human life, but in ahletics and sports it's very, very old. Now you see these hungry lions about 20-22 years of age...Like my wife fought her last match 2 weeks ago, defending her world title, and she is 40 years old. And this Croatian girl she fought is 22. Someone who is 22 years old recovers MUCH more easily from punishment than someone who is 40. Is in beter physical shape. This girl was very tough.
IRMA : But she didn't beat mama !
TONY : ..Hehehe..
BOB : Nope. She didn't beat mama.
TONY : Congratiulations again Irma. Awesome ! So Bob, What's your favorite discipline or style ?
BOB : Hm, that would be punching. I like to administer a good pummeling. Punching is good (smiles).
TONY : So you're not too fond of, say, groundwork ?
BOB: Nah, Cuddling on the floor stuff ! That's not my thing. Sure I can do it, and reasonably well. If an opponent is stupid enough to give me an arm to play with, I'll put a lock on it and twist it right out of the socket. Sure. But a good pounding to the melon is my favorite technique.
TONY : You go for basic raw power..
BOB : Yeah, sock it on their noggin. Boom !
TONY : Okay, so I Saw footage where you fight this Russian giant, and even though you did win the match, right before he went down this thunderous left elbow slipped past your defenses and hit you right in the kisser..
BOB : Yeah , and ?
TONY : Well, I was baffled to see such devastating blow didn't even phaze you at all. An ordinary person would at least go down KO at such punishment.
BOB : Maybe he was the guy who broke my jawbone. I saw it coming, and could heard my face break, like CRUNCH ! I could feel how this side of my face just caved in, right here. My skull was all shattered to hell.
TONY : Holy shit dude.. that's brutal.
BOB : A lot of people ask me how I do it. I don't know. It's not like I don't feel the the pain, because, only afterwards. To me, pain is just another an emotion. for example, when you have itch, or when you cry, laugh, those are emotions. And you can suppress them. Tell yourtself : Don't scratch that itch...Come to think of it, surpressing laughter is much more difficult than suppressing pain..(laughs).. It's just... I have some kind of ability to flip a mental switch, so that physical
pain doesn't bother me much.
TONY : If you only could market that ability..
BOB : But I couldn't explain to you how I do it, I just know I just block out the pain.Once you're older you make up for it in experience.
TONY : Irma, you won just about everything there is to win...
IRMA : Yeah, Dutch championship, European title, world title, three times.
TONY : Impressive. And now you've retired.
Irma : yes
TONY : Congratulations once again ! What better way to end a career than on the summit. So I understand you guys go to Russia a lot...How did that start ? Does it have to do with the fact cage fights are illegal here ?
BOB : First time I went there was to do a bare knuckle cage fight tournament. That means, anything goes, and contestants don't wear boxing gloves or anything .So, I ended up winning that tournament. Irma had to duke it out with some enormous Russian what was she ? She looked like a big horse. Irma kicked the living SHIT out of that bitch. So Irma ended up also winning the tournament , too. Then one thing just led to another.
TONY : WOW.
Irma : Next month we're going to Novosibrsk in Siberia with a couple of our fighters, our pupils.

Nitwitz Video 2004-2005

2009-08-13T16:14:00.001-07:00

This is on a mondaynite on tour somewhere in Germany.

Paul Smith - vox, guitar
Laurent van Bouvelen - bass
Tony Slug - guitar
The Gadge - Drums

Nitwitz Tour Diary 2004 (?)

2009-08-13T15:59:00.001-07:00

I made this for VPRO Dutch radio ca. 2004. Sorry it's in clogspeak but some Dutch readers might get a chuckle or two out of this. Translation follows here on Slugtrails.
LINK

V/A 100 % Dutch punk and hardcore bootleg CD

2009-08-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

What we got here is a couple of multi-bootlegged already 45's taken from the "Feel Lucky Skunk" bootleg and both "Als je haar maar goed zit" compilation LP's which were released on our own Vögelspin label in 1980 and 1981. A collection of liquorice allsorts.
Strangely some Dutch classics like Speed Twins, Helmettes and Panic are painfully absent ! You're better off getting the "I'm sure we're gonna make it" comp. (for instance here)

The thieving bastards who ~~put this out~~ "are doing it all for the scene maaaan" took the trouble to manually erase the pressing plant ID with an engraving pen on every copy to cover up their tracks. They however did NOT go through any trouble to enhance the sound quality. So the sound isn't too hot here. In addition, the cover art sucks a fat cock.

Guys : Yo if you're gonna bootleg my shit, at least make an effort.

I'm putting this up for grabs here because I'd rather have the music trickle down to
the people who want to listen to it than have some anonymous scumbags make money off it. Yeah, fuck you punk guys and your goddamn "hardcore distro", assholes.

PART 1
01) Ivy Green - another subculture going down
02) Nitwitz - He was OK
03) Rakketax - Van Agt
04) Tits - We're so glad Elvis is dead
05) Amsterdamned - Ballroom Dancing
06) Pistache BV - Blind en Doof
07) Nitwitz - Artificial Smile
08) Outlawz - Dummy
09) Rakketax - Desert
10) Frites Modern - Deo Volente
11) Rakketax - Vacuum
12) Amsterdamned - Traditie amme ballen
13) Pistache BV - Philips
14) Outlawz - General
GET IT

V/A deathrattle and roll (re-up)

2009-08-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

Very cool compilation with tracks by both the Hydromatics and the Nitwitz. Released 2004 on Wondertaker Records.

Part 1
Part 2

320 kbps
pass:slugtrails

Consultants - practise 8/2009

2009-08-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

First Consultants rehearsal in 10 months. The song is called "Loaded". Apologies for the crummy sound quality.

Paul Smith - bass, vocals
Marky Vim - guitar
Burn Harper - Drums
Tony Slug - Guitar

Spy Satellite

PICK UP THE DEMO
Consultants Myspace

V/A live at the subsonic vol. 3 (2003)

2009-08-10T04:49:00.001-07:00

Third installment of the "Live at the Subsonic" series with a Nitwitz track, recorded at the (Doh) Subsonic, Montpellier France ca 2002. I can't remember the band line-up, which changed every single year. Alcohol damages the brain. Another Nitwitz tune recorded at Subsonic ended up on "Deathrattle and roll" from the great Wondertaker Records label out of San Francisco.

01) American heartbreak - superstar
02) Los Bastardos - Rocknroll asshole
03) Church of Confidence - (Whatever happened to) west berlin
04) Cowboys from outer space - waiting for your love
05) Darlington - Gisele and me
06) Dumbell - suicide bullets
07) Lost Disciples - Strange kind of magic
08) Neurotic Swingers - speed drinker
09) The Nitwitz - Landmine Heart
10) Polyplush cats - Rain
11) Sonic Assassin - Set My Brain on Fire
12) Starshit - Midway Motel
13) Streetwalking Cheetahs - Freakout Man
14) The 1's - I like drugs
15) The Apers - It's OK to hate me
16) Les Jakes - Do you wanna be a jake
17) The Undead - Slave to the fashion
18) Weak - Denim demon

320 kbs
pass : slugtrails
ROCK ME

BUY from LolaProduct in France and tell Sylvie I sent ya for a croissant.

Vim - Give Sleaze a Chance (demo, 1991 ?)

2009-08-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

Vim (the band) started ca. 1990 as a side project from Loveslug's notorious guitar weirdo Oekel, who decided he wanted to "play lead solo's" and it dawned upon him that was definitely not going to happen in Loveslug. Hence, Vim was another sprig on the family tree.
On vocals : Alex Vimski, true pioneer of shock rock. owner of a permanently sweaty bulbous snout, a belly the size of a sea turtle, always sporting leopard print suits and silver platform boots and "holdin'".
On guitar : Marc Vim whom I briefly played with in the ill-fated Freeloaders and as an acoustic duo the Calcium Brothers. Marky is currently also in Reputation, the Amsterdam Mofo's and the the Consultants). Owner of the Vim and owner of an incredibly amazing social calendar.
On Drums : Mikey Louder, self-admitted former nazi skinhead, and owner of two blossoming cauliflower ears.

A cast bound to be a glorious little freak show.

Marky Vim, Scott Morgan, Nicke Hellacopter and Me ca. 2002

So when Marky Vim asked me to join them on bass for a show, I said "sure, why not".(Oekel, who requires mucho attention, was against it initially, but reluctantly agreed).

POWDER TO THE PEOPLE !

Some of Alex's quaint hobbies included reading the works of ancient Greek philosophers (in ancient Greek that is) by candlelight, hosting cocaine-and-booze-soaked basement freak sex orgies (don't ask), and whipping up some serious bad ass potions like Papa Smurf. This psychedelic punkaroo treasured his "bottle of death", a flask of doom filled with an undescribably vile and evil concoction, containing no less than 8 or 10 hallucinogenics, various opiates, stimulants, and other mind altering substances.
In his never-ending quest for "the perfect high", he carefully mixed the precious ingredients in ever-changing combinations, but always in sufficient quantities to zonk out rhino populations across the Serengeti Desert.

Seeing that chunky assed mega freak on LSD, teetering around in suede platforms, rolling around in broken glass screaming about eating out menstruating women (an activity which he, even when sober, claimed to sincerely enjoy), well, OK. Maybe you had to be there to think it was funny.
Use our imagination !

It was what I'd call

Our crowds weren't punk rockers by the way but bikers, housewives, stoned tourists and illegal immigrants. Nobody knew WHAT THE HELL was going on.

Vim did only a handful of shows to my recollection. We recorded one demo by bribing the engineer into free recording time with drugs (hey, it wasn't me), to the point the poor bastard got so paranoid and terrified he actually left town in fear of his life. I am not making this up !

Of said demos, the master tapes have, of course long disappeared.
But this demo is made of pure awesome.
For starters I'm pulling some serious John Entwistle shit on this motherfucker. Then there's the ouchy lyrics : If you can't handle Parental advisory" type lyrics, palsyfolks : Now is the time to walk away and get yourself a Dr. Pepper. But anywhoo, this comes from a (second generation ?) cassette tape that had the words "second unfinished mix" scribbled on it in sharpie.

Enough of my silly shit, let's get to the free shit. For your Saturday pleasure, I give you : VIM - GIVE SLEAZE A CHANCE demo (1990 ? 1991 ? 1992)

ROCK ME ! (pass : slugtrails)

- MUFFDIVE
"Lost in in a loveclench 69, smelling urine, brine wine divine. Dirty minds and dirty sheets, I'll show you where the Hershey highway leads"
- TRASH COMPACTOR
"Lice on her butthairs, pus ran from her cooze"
- RIVER
"You'll get your breakfast from my ass"
- BANNED (IN AMSTERDAM)
"I pissed in your beer and I fucked your wife"

And remember, folks :

2009-07-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

some old Nitwitz flyers

2009-07-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

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B.G.K. video

2009-07-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

This is in Venlo, Netherlands, ca. 1985. I will uploads more from this show soon(ish).

B.G.K. videos

2009-07-23T18:59:00.001-07:00

There will be NO B.G.K. reunion so I guess you're gonna have to make do with this scarce and crummy video footage. This is from a 1986 in San Francsco.

B.G.K. computer control

2009-07-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

Somebody put this on Youtube. The track was recorded at Oktopus studio's in Amsterdam for the Maximum rocknRoll "Welcome to 1984" compilation which you can pick up nearabout here. This album which was re-released on CD format a decade later (Could I get a copy, pleeez ?)

Loveslug video 1990

2009-07-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

Loveslug perform "Slap Your Slug" in Utrecht, Netherlands 1990.
I think we opened for L7 that night.

site update

2009-06-16T00:53:00.003-07:00

Hello people,
Sorry about the time lapse and lack of posts here. I've been travelling all over the US the past weeks (from Olympia to Cleveland) and am currently back in Amsterdam where I am trying to get my shit together. Or fuck some shit up. Either one.

Coming soon (as soon as the dust is settled) :

Loveslug Live + demos + radio stuff

B.G.K. the 3d unreleased album

Nitwitz "Sex Lies and Duct Tape" Raw mixes

Loveslug "Beef Jerky" Raw Mixes

B.G.K. live 1982-1987

VIM "give sleaze a chance" demo (Loveslug shoot-off, ca. 1988)

Hydromatics TONS live

All rare/unreleased/exclusive material and as always, for FREE ! Hope you'll enjoy listening to it. In addition I should also be scribbling stuff for a, ahem, book (no shit freaks) and for what it's worth, shall share miscellaneous brain farts and anecdotes with anyone who gives two shits.

So, thanks for stopping by, your patience and rock the fuck on.

Your pal,
- Sluggy

WTF ?

2009-06-16T00:53:00.001-07:00

Somebody stole my domain name. He only has 2658 other domains
http://whois.domaintools.com/slugrock.com

Nitwitz 'videos' 1981

2009-06-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

I don't know who uploaded this but it's definitely me playing bass on "I'm so lazy" (taken from "wielingen walgt!", re-released on "I'm Sure we're gonna make it" and bootlegged on "Killed By Epitaph"

"Security Service" taken from "Als je Haar Maar Goed Zit (vol.)" released in 1981, the fastest 4/4/ drumbeat evahhh to my knowledge.

Another song from the same compilation.

B.G.K. - video

2009-05-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

B.G.K. live at the farm in San Francisco, 1986.

The above clip appeared (be it in far better quality) as part of a VHS video release titled "Farmcore" or something, documenting "the Farm" venue in San Francisco.
Btw this footage is from 1986, NOT from 1987 !(We didn't tour the USA in 1987.)

Hydromatics bio

2009-05-28T08:24:00.001-07:00

Taken from the Suburban.nl website :

The Motor City of Detroit and Europe's own Murder Capital, Amsterdam, collide in the lethal combination that is the Hydromatics, a trans-Atlantic rock 'n' roll outfit that brings together members of the Rationals, Sonics Rendezvous Band, Nitwitz, Loveslug and B.G.K. Hellacopters frontman Nick Royale and Tony Slug from Amsterdam's punk veterans BGK had planned to do a side-project since 1996, with the intention to record a demo with their cover versions of songs by their favourite group, the criminally under-documented Sonic's Rendezvous Band.

Still unnamed at the time, the recording project was put on hold for several years because of the Hellacopters' relentless and time-consuming touring schedule. BGK guitarist Tony Slug got Sonic's Rendezvous Band founder Scott Morgan in touch with the 'Copters, and after they met each other, the only logical next step would be a cooperation between them. And so it happened. Ever since, Scott has performed vocal duties on stage, recorded with, and written material for the band.

During the Hellacopters second visit to Detroit, Scott was glad to accept Nick Royale's offer to participate in his side-project, and it was him who came up with the band's name. With the addition of ex-Nitwitz bass-player Theo Brouwer, the Hydromatics were born. In February 1999, Scott and Nicke flew to Amsterdam where the band rehearsed for a mere six days, working on a live set as well as material for a full album. With only three gigs in small Dutch venues under their belt to try out, the Hydromatics managed to gel together as a tight and solid international riffing unit, as demonstrated by the band's debut album "Parts Unknown.

With Scott's soulful vocals sounding as fresh as ever. Nicke's 'School-Of-Keith-Moon' style drumming provides high-octane Rock Action thunder with Theo Brouwer's rock solid bass playing, and Tony Slug ripping the place to bleeding shreds with chainsaw guitar, the right chemistry was there for Sweden's renowned White Jazz label (Hellacopters, Nomads, Turpentines, Gluecifer) to put out "Parts Unknown".

Receiving rave reviews both from the mainstream press as well as from underground rock publications worldwide, the Hydromatics succeeded in documenting the legacy of the Sonic's Rendezvous Band as accurately and true-to-the-original as it gets, at last, and 20 years to date, the material proved to have passed the test of time, royally.

But the Hydromatics do not aspire to merely be another reunion/cover band that needs to rely on nostalgic sentiments. Besides the four Sonic's Rendezvous Band covers, Scott, Nick and Tony each penned two originals for the album to make for welcome variety. From the haunting sounds of "Calling LWA" to blitzkrieg riff-o-rama of "Valentine Frankenstein" or "No Justice (In Rock'n' Roll)", it's all high-energy rock'n'roll the way it was meant to be played and sound.

Then there is a (previously unreleased) cover by an obscure Detroit group called The Weathervanes and concludes with a wild rendering of "Baby Won't Ya" by the legendary MC5. The latter band of course featured guitarist Fred 'Sonic' Smith, who would later form Sonic's Rendezvous Band with Scott. Although the Hydromatics made a good solid studio album after practising for six days, after six weeks on the road with the Hellacopters and Zen Guerilla they had turned into a lethal rocking monster. What the band was capable of on stage can be heard on the upcoming live release "Fluid Drive", which is to be released in 2004. The six-song mini live album, accidentally recorded off the board in Freiburg, Switzerland, is the real deal, with no overdubs or fancy producer tricks. It's a pure adrenalin rush from the very first second to the last feedback-drenched note of the glorious Sonic's Rendezvous Band anthem "City Slang".

After the tour, Nicke Royale decided to part company with the band, as his career with the Hellacopters no longer allowed for double tasking with other bands, (much less bands of which all members live in three different countries). Needless to say, finding a suitable replacement for Nicke was a hard task to accomplish, but a young talent from Ann Arbor named Andy Frost (right), who had only recently had started playing with Scott in Powertrane, turned out to be a godsend, and capable of just that.

In May 2001, the Hydromatics got together in Amsterdam once again to record their second full length offering in Amsterdam for Italian label Freakshow. Well over one hour long, "Powerglide" features seven Sonic's Rendezvous Band songs, as well as seven new ones. Augmented by horns and female back-up vocals. "Powerglide" is a rare mix of soul and rock energy.

Unfortunately, the demise of the Freakshow label means it's difficult to find, but the Hydromatics plan to put a third studio album down whenever their schedules allow.

Also imminent is a month-long 2003 European tour which will include dates with Wayne Kramer and the legendary Radio Birdman. Early 2007, after a three year break, Tony Slug and Scott Morgan started planning a new Hydromatics record. Within a few weeks, Australia’s Kent Steedman from the Celibate Rifles and Dutch powerdrummer Ries Doms were recruited for the recording sessions. The Record is scheduled to be released through Suburban Records in September. A full European tour is scheduled from September 19th till October 14th 2007

B.G.K. - a Dutch feast

2009-05-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Alternative Tentacles website blurts :

Dutch punk; the glory years! Their entire discography collected, the double LP is finally back in print! These Dutch punks offered one of the most furious and intense displays of hardcore the world has ever seen!

Damn straight. I wrote all those furious and intense songs because I'm a furious and intense guy. See, that's me pictured on the cover. OK, I was still a handsome young lad in 1984, sporting stylish European headwear. Even though I did not posses all my Super Slug Powers yet, I still got more pussy than Joan Jett backstage, while you and your friends were getting clowned by the doorman.

I'm not too wild about the title the folks at Alternative Tentacles conjured up for
this project, but nobody asked me, so what can ya do. What the hell is a "Dutch Feast" anyways ?

Released in the year 2000 as double album and in CD format, it is, as the title suggests, a retrospective, and contains the third official re-release of Jonestown Aloha" (1982), "Nothing Can go Wrong" (1986), the multi-bootlegged "White Male Dumbinance" EP from 1984, all in one handy package, with a few tracks taken from compilations like the (also multi-released) "Welcome to 1984", and "P.E.A.C.E" record thrown in.

All this seems to imply that people do want to listen to this stuff, and that we were doing somehing right back then.

In pre-photoshop/computer grafix times, flyers looked like this.

80px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nSpwjN98X50/Sh5Q7Un_znI/AAAAAAAAAV0/TcxCtRLwVno/s320/flyerwall2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340795188186959474" />

Some B.G.K. flyers on my wall. Click to make them big.

If anyone wonders why the sound differs slightly from the original vinyl : the original master tapes had been gathering dust under a beat-up couch in various
freezing cold squathouses for 15 years or so before being shipped to California on
orders of Jello Biafra himself (pictured below, yelling along at our 1984 San Francisco gig). Apparently Mr. B. was able to take time off from his relentless "spoken word" tour schedule to personally re-master all this shit proper in a studio.
ROCK ME, AMADEUS
Alternative location

WHO WANTS TO BUY A BRIDGE ?
Amazon
Artistdirect
CDuniverse
Rhapsody
Emusic
Whoa damn, this thing is for sale all over the interwebs !
Excuse me while I whine but goddammit, IT'S MY PARTY AND I'LL BITCH IF I WANT TO.

See, when the author, performer and rightowner of the songs, who has busted his ass year after year after year playing them on tour, namely ME, gets nothing, Nada, zilch, niente, ZERO, once again, it does not make him, the starving (f)artiste
feel like a happy camper, but embittered like a dog, who never gets his day !

In all honesty, Alternative Tentacles were much fairer in their dealings with us
than other record labels, but then again that doesn't say all that much.
The band did get some funds eventually. Nothing like the amount we
should have gotten, as far as I can tell, but it's the thought that counts.

And seeing as how we already donated the entire proceeds, i.e. our share from the "Nothing Can Go Wrong" album sales on A.T. back into Jello B.'s "No More Censorship Fund" in 1986 for some reason, it was about time I got a little bit of
dough at last without the band deciding it should be donated to a "good cause".

If you must know, it was enough to take the other guys to a nice restaurant and pick up the tab for everyone.

Hydromatics radio interviews

2009-05-27T23:33:00.000-07:00

Hydro interview conducted Aug 22nd, 2002 by "the rock home of Stockholm", Swedish Rocket 95.3 FM radio.

Back to the roots with the Hydromatics
Aug 9th 22.08 / Ever missed the good old days of rock 'n roll? Ever felt like there was more to it back then? Get the real thing with the Hydromatics by listening to the chat Niktator had together with the band, including front man Scott Morgan from The Sonic's Rendezvous Band and The Rationals, before their fabulous performance at the Barbarella Festival.
STREAM IT

Another Hydro interview from 2007 for Aligre FM Paris radio.

Fitz Of Depression tour video

2009-05-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Edited. This is part 1
fitz of depression tour

And now, for something completely different

2009-05-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

2 homerecordings made with a cheap guitar. It is NOT rock, there's violins, cellos, and doodles even...Deal with it ! I was just trying to get the hang of Cubase !

no pass
GET IT

Dynaminds - Sophisticated Slaves CD

2009-05-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

A very cool and sympathetic band from Bitburg, Germany who let me produce their album, with Paul Smith (Dumbell, Hydromatics, Consultants) engineering. I also play a few lead solos on the record which means it belongs in "Slug Trails". Check them out and go to their shows !

SNAG IT

Hydromatics Tulle, France 2007

2009-05-20T03:42:00.001-07:00

Los Hydromaticos in Madrid, Spain for the 7th time or so.

Les Hydromatiques cause that's what we're called in France, (in Spain they call us "Los Hydromaticos") playing a town called Tulle in France, 2007. I'm giving you, my faithless tools, the songs "Do It Again", "Electrophonic Tonic" ("Electrophonique Tonique" ?) plus some imprompto fun Detroit covers we felt like wingin for the hell of it :
The MC5's "Looking At You" and "Dirt" by the Stooges.
This show should be included on the forthcoming hydromatics DVD in it's entirity.

OOPS, UPDATE

I mixed this from only half the audio tracks explaining why the bass is painfully absent. I will remix so you'll get a proper sound very soon.

DONNEZ-MOI LE ROCQUE
Pass : slugtrails

Hydromatics Malmö, Sweden 2007

2009-05-20T01:57:00.000-07:00

The Hydromatics in Malmö, Sweden, September 2007.

Love and learn / The Earth is shaking
ROCK ME
Pass : slugtrails

Tony Slug and Ries Doms - Rocket Reducer 62

2009-05-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

An MC 5 cover.
Yours truly on guitar, vocals + bass, and the great Ries Doms of the Hydromatics bashing the drums. Recorded in the studio for our personal enjoyment and previously unreleased.

pass : blogspot
RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

Fitz pics

2009-05-19T11:58:00.001-07:00

Santa Cruz Scott made these Fitz of Depression pics. Thanks Scott !

Fitz Of Depression at Annie's, San Francisco, april 23d, 2009

Slug Interview

2009-05-12T00:19:00.000-07:00

The following interview was conducted by rockscribe extraordinaire and allround swell guy Ken Shimamoto ca. 2000 by mail for I-94 BAR, and is reproduced here for archiving reasons.

One of the rockingest platters I've heard this year, the Hydromatics' Parts Unknown combines the talents of Motor City R&B/garage/punk godfather Scott Morgan with three European disciples: Nicke Hellacopter and the Nitwitz' Theo Brouwer and Tony Slug. Tony joined me over a virtual brew from his home in Amsterdam on October 16.

K: Scott Morgan played me the rough mix of the Hydromatics album at SXSW in Austin last March. I remember thinking, "Who woulda thought the spirit of Fred 'Sonic' Smith would make its way across the Atlantic to the Netherlands?" The Rock works in mysterious ways.

T: Well, man, that's a very big compliment. I WISH I could get those leads to
fucking FLOW like Fred did. I think I got about a third down (at most), but y'know, I'm working on it.
Really, Fred's style of playing influenced me more than anything, ever since I was a teenager. (Of course, he got it from Chuck Berry.) I would listen to the Five over and over again. In the early punk days (late '70s), everyone was into these crappy English bands and I was just like, "No, no, that's not right, listen to THIS" and everyone thought it was a big bunch of noise. Or they'd call it "hippie shit." Then with my old band, Loveslug, we'd do like four MC5 covers live, and no one had a clue.

Thankfully, people are picking up on this stuff right now. I hope Scott gets some well-deserved credits at last with the Hydromatics. We're having a great time jamming together, and it's fucking awesome to play those SRB tunes live.

K: One thing I like about your approach guitar-wise is that you take what Fred did as a starting point, but you add your own slant as well. Being YOURSELF and using what you've learned as a springboard to your own expression is a big part of what Fred was about, I think.

T: That's absolutely right. There's so many kids out there who try to perfectly clone, say, Steve Vai or Hendrix, and even when they do master it, it has no soul or balls for that matter. Personally, I feel Chuck Berry is the originator.

K: Yeah, Chuck probably IS the man for rock guys. There's a line that runs from him through Keith Richard to Fred and Wayne Kramer and Johnny Thunders, on down the line. It IS folk music, after all.

T: I read ya loud and clear. Chuck himself stole a bunch of stuff, too, of course. But I also really like his calypso-ish stuff, for instance on Bio. Great album! [If you listen hard, you can hear some of this influence in Tony's playing on Parts Unknown. No fooling!]

K: Scott's girlfriend Maureen Ferrell tells me there's a possibility the Hydromatics will be playing at SXSW next spring. Sure hope so.

T: Cool, man, I can't wait. It depends on a lot of things. It's been like 15 years since I played there last, with the Big Boys and Minutemen.

K: I played once with Tim from the Big Boys before they were a band. I remember Biscuit used to pin Purina Dog Chow bags to his clothes as part of his stage getup.

T: Funny. How about the Dicks? They used to play a whole lot together. Originally MDC were from Texas, as were the great Offenders. Their bassplayer was this long haired, half-Mexican, half-Japanese guy called Mikey and he was incredible. Then two years later (1986), he moved to San Francisco and started doing smack. Duh. I played with all those bands in the early '80s. We actually did a show in Odessa, Texas, if you can believe that.

K: I was stationed in Abilene in the Air Force. Midland and Odessa seemed like places you didn't want to break down. Real "Bad Day At Black Rock" scenes.

T: I'll say, dammit. We played with this band called Research and apparently they had been frying in the Texas sun too much. I remember they had songs with titles like "Cows Eating Dolphins" and stuff like that. The dude told me he at one point wore a skinny necktie for ONE DAY, and he had guns pulled on him SIX times that day. So, you know, that kinda explains why there were no pink Mohawks in Odessa. Also, the accents were so thick that I couldn't understand a word.

K: How'd European post-punk go over in West Texas?

T: Well, we weren't post-punk but more like full-on super thrash. We did a few shows with the Dead Kennedys, including one in Dallas at the Republican Convention. Big riots.

K: Big Al Creed from the New Christs had some really good things to say about the Hydromatics...as if we didn't know!

T: That's great! I'm a big fan of the New Christs myself. Especially their 45s I like a lot.

First ever Hydromatics gig in Amsterdam, 1999

K: So, how did the Hydromatics project come about?

T: Well, whew. Long story...Nicke and myself had wanted to do a side project thing for many years. We planned to record a heap of SRB tunes (or at least steal a bunch of their riffs, hee hee). But with the 'Copters being on tour all the time, we had to put this project on hold for a while. Then I hooked them up with Scott and so it happened that Scott ended up playing live with the 'copters and recording some tunes with them, which is very cool. Then Scott seemed really interested in participating in the side project thing with Nicke and me, so we could get to work.

K: Talk a bit about the recording of your album in Amsterdam last February.

T: It was real fun. Nicke hadn't played the drums really since he quit the Entombed, and he is just incredible. Great drummer. Of course we had all prepared ourselves, so we wouldn't be going "duh" in the studio not knowing what to play. We had exchanged tapes with ideas for songs through the mail. But seeing as how the four of us never had never all gotten together, I think we did a good job with the album. I mean, some members of the band only met each other six days prior to recording it! Of course, playing with Scott is a real pleasure, too.

We rehearsed for three days to get a live set going, and wrote the orginals on the album in the next three days. Then we played three live shows, which included a BAD ASS version of "City Slang" I might add. Scott and me were on our knees and rolling on the stage in the end part, the whole nine yards. So that was helluva lot of fun. I mean, the guy is 50-years-old mind you, and he's still got it!

Hydro in Amsterdam, 1999

K: Who are the Hectic Horns [who appear on the album]?

T: They are this horn section that was rehearsing next door to our recording studio. They do some work with the studio engineer's blues band, Dripping Honey. Scott went up to them and asked if they wanted to help out and they did, quite nicely I might add.

K: Any plans for an American or Australian release?

T: I wish! Looks like a well-known label is gonna do it in the States, from what I hear. At this point nothing is confirmed, however.

K: You've got a pretty extensive tour of Europe coming up. How'd you pick the cities/venues to play?

T: Basically it's the Hellacopters tour, then Nicke figured we might as well be on it, so we said yes. But we needed a second band in between and this is where Zen Guerilla comes in.

K: How's Nicke feel about playing twice a night [on drums with the Hydromatics and gtr/vox with the Hellacopters]?

T: Man, the guy is unstoppable! The 'copters just came back from Japan and after one day their Scandinavian tour started. We cancelled that leg, to make it a little easier on him. At any rate, he told me he has no difficulties doing two sets a night, as long as he can rest for an hour in beween.Rock 'n' roll is top athletic, I tell ya. But he's like 10 years younger than me.

Hydromatics at Roskilde Festival, Denmark, 2003

K: Any tour plans for the Hydromatics in the States or Australia?

T: No concrete plans at this point, but we're definitely up for it. We'd LOVE to go to Australia.

K: Any plans for further Hydromatics recordings?

T: Basically yes, but you can imagine this depends on many factors, foremostly the relentless touring schedule of the Hellacopters. We're thinking about possibly doing a next album next spring.

K: You and Theo also play together in the Nitwitz. Can we get some background on that band for fans who might not be familiar with your work?

T: Well, the Nitwitz started in 1978, and were like the first Dutch punk band to emphasize playing really fast. Then we turned into B.G.K. ca.1982, whose entire back catalogue has just been re-released on Alternative Tentacles, by the way. This is like full-on hardcore thrash. B.G.K. toured the States twice and all over Europe half a dozen times. After that, I was in Loveslug until 1993 or so. Consequently, I did a gruelling tour with Sonny Vincent and Spencer P. Jones from the Beasts Of Bourbon in 1995.

Then in 1996, there was a book coming out on Dutch punk 1976-1982, and I'm all over it, so the guys who did it asked us to do a reunion show for the publishing party. After some persuasion, we did and rocked the hell out of these nostalgic old punks in their mid-30s! Next, Epitaph slapped us with some dough to do a demo, and record some new stuff. But they weren't happy with it; I mean, we're not exactly marketable to the walletchain and skateboard crowd or nothing, or possibly the album title (Dark Side Of The Spoon) didn't go down too well with the Epitaph label boss [Brett Gurewitz], who was in rehab kicking heroin, hee hee. So Get Hip picked it up, and those dicks Ministry stole our album title. Now there's been more personnel changes and I am the only original remnant.

K: Who's this Sonny Vincent guy?

T: Sonny was in this band called the Testors in NYC in 1977, who useta play with the Dead Boys a lot. Then he played with Moe Tucker and has his other band, Shotgun Rationale, which sort of has different line-ups all the time, including members of the Dead Boys, Plasmatics, Replacements, Tank, Beasts Of Bourbon, Velvet Underground, Husker Du. All kinds of people, depending on where Sonny lives at the moment and who he can talk into it, I guess.

K: I know Scott Asheton did a record and tour with him.

T: Yep, Steve Baise from the Devil Dogs was in that line-up too.

K What music have you been listening to lately? Anything new/cool that I-94 patrons might not be familiar with?

T: Well, not much, actually. The only thing that cuts it for me is a personal approach, so I go out and support my friends' bands, and whatever people send me in the mail. I don't read music magazines or anything, really, to find out about stuff. Just see bands live. Once in a while you see some really cool shit. Turbonegro were fucking incredible, both live and on record. I've supported the 'Copters since they opened playing for 12 people and stuff. Just saw The Donnas the other night, who were all right, but nothing spectacular. A little too L.A. for me. There's a German band I like a lot, the Cellophane Suckers. Those guys fuckin' jam!

K: Last and most importantly, since we're in a bar -- what do you like to drink?

T: Chilled Grolsch lager. Not the fake Grolsch you can get in the States but the real Dutch kind. I live on that shit. American beer sucks ass. And I'm quite partial to the occasional tequila (straight), or vodka on the rocks.

Ken, Slug and Pat Todd of the Lazy Cowgirls in Texas, 2003.

V/A - N.Y.H.C. the spirit of old school video

2009-05-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

Looks like somebody put out a DVD compilation with B.G.K. on it. See here

B.G.K. were definitely not part of the New York hardcore scene, despite the fact that New York used to be called New Amsterdam, maybe. We are definitely bona fide old school hardcore though. The NY scene embraced us heartily when they had heard our music and found we were tough enough to hang/drink with them in Thompins Square park I guess. This is long before bands like Biohazard (at the time 100 % metallers with dubious political affiliations) or Sick Of It All would claim their stake as "original NY hardcore" with tough guy cookie monster bullshit.

Upon arrival (staying in a cockroach infested hellhole on 2nd street in the Lower East Side's notorious "alphabet city") we discovered that M.D.C. ditched us and that the whole tour had been cancelled. Great timing !
The reason for this cancellation was that the companion of tour booker (manager of D.O.A., Ken Lester) had freaked out with a nervous breakdown or whatever to the point of going into hiding, taking all the tour info and papers with her to some super secret motel location.
Wonderful. Again, great timing. Furthermore, to our surprise, M.D.C. had seemingly abandoned their squathouse/anti-commercial/anarchy antics, and now demanded $1000 guarantees per show. Plus planetickets, that is, maybe conveniently neglecting to mention certain members drug habits, argueing "we're far from home, we got rent to pay, we got kids, and have been doing this for a long time", etc.
Which totally made sense seeing as how we were about 10 times farther away from home, also had kids and rent to pay and have been doing this as long as they had. Not to mention the B.G.K. album they released on their R Radical label that we hadn't been paid for, the European tour we set up for them, and all the Euopean shows we did together and gave all our money to them. It wouldn't be the first (or the last) time they dicked us, but I have to be diplomatic here.
Anywhoo, making the best of a bad situation, Cause For Alarm reformed ad hoc, and we went on tour anyways as a package deal. The line-up of C.F.A. consisted of former M.D.C. roadie and future Grateful Dead(!) tourmanager Chris Charuki (check this if you don't believe me) on vocals, ex-Agnostic Front guy Alex on guitar, Robbie on drums and newcomer Joe Rock on bass. 15 Years or so later I went to see C.F.A. in Amsterdam to say hi and could not recognize one single member. When some 'hardcore' girl at that show sneered "what are you doing in our scene, hippie ?" because of my long hair so I was like fuck this 'hardcore' bullshit and bailed.

MRR 16 NY scene report. No mention of S.O.I.A. or other metal goofs.

B.G.K. played numerous shows with the likes of Reagan Youth, False Prophets, Murphy's Law, etc. headlining a dynamite, packed to the hilt show at CBGB's.
Despite my pleading, B.G.K.'s 'manager' Wouter refused to shell out out $ 15,- for a 16 track mixing desk recording ("$ 15,- ?? that's ridiculous") for anti-commercial reasons, but the gig was recorded anyways and came out as a bootleg later.

B.G.K. at CBGB's, New York, 1984

Some guy from Agnostic Front stagediving or something

Also on that bill were Adrenalin O.D. from New Jersey. They would follow us around in their car, showing up unexpectedly in the oddest places, requesting they also play. Of course they could. For this aptly titled "invite ourselves" tour, they printed T-shirts showing a hand holding a bundle of flowers, which we thought was pretty amusing.

V/A - a fistful of rock, vol. 6

2009-05-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

Goddamn. Yet another release nobody told me about. Here's the story : Not only did the Nitwitz get fucked harder than a Tijuana crack whore on Cinco de Mayo by Get Hip (Get Dicked) records, one track of Dark Side of the Spoon, "Bad Chemistry" appears to have consequently been "licensed" to Tee Pee records without informing, and needless to say without compensating the band. Tee Pee consequently "sold" the track to various websites who now offer it for $0.99 per download while we were still scrounging for chump change in the seams of our couches trying to pay off the recording studio debt. This series of compilations was put together by one Sal from the insanely overrated near-coverband Electric Frankenstein. When I asked him if I could at least have a copy for the archives he said no, leaving us with... a fistful of nothing, making this release smell rather more like a fistful of shit.

You can buy this LP/CD from Amazon if you must, or the tracks thereof here, but I'd suggest that for your own karma's sake, you purchase my compilation "Here's $ 50" instead here.

Roadhog lesson 2

2009-05-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

Rocknroll dentististry, baby. This simple instructional video is for those who want that Shane McGowan or Lemmy smile.
Roadhog lesson 2

V/A - Chainsaw fanzine # 14 flexi disk

2009-05-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Another oddity that slipped past my defenses. This 7" flexi disk came out in December 1984 as a freebie with the 14th and last issue of Chainsaw fanzine out of Croydon, Foggy Old England.
Chainsaw fanzine does not only gets props for starting out in the middle of the fateful year 1977 (1st issue features the great humanitarian and philosopher Johnny Moped !), but editor Charlie Chainsaw was also hip to continental European style hardcore punk as early on as 1984. The mainstream UK music press only began getting a clue 2 to 3 few years later, only to consequently - but not too surprisingly - claim hardcore punk was foremostly, if not exclusively a British phenomenon,
heralding Johnny come latelies such as the Stupids and Napalm Death as groundbreaking originators, and completely ignoring the at the time vibrant hardcore scenes all over continental Europe, where an international underground network had begun to develop, long before booking agencies, hardcore labels paid top dollar to place ads in magazines and (let's face it) everything basically went to hell.

A typical night at the Emma in Amsterdam ca. 1985:
B.G.K., Impact, and Scream featuring future Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl

The flexi : even though the flexi disk was an impossible format (paper-thin, easily scratched, dismal sound quality, ZERO dynamics) they were at the time regarded as an economic alternative for costly "real" vinyl pressings, plus, in pre-internet days, they were much cheaper to send in the mail. Regular record distribution companies would not carry these releases, and there was no promotion really.

Apart from the B.G.K. material (a song lifted off the WMD E.P.), there are tracks by a group called Butcher and a fellow Amsterdam group with the curious name Mornington Crescent, who to my knowledge never played many live shows, certainly never toured abroad, and didn't belong to the circle of "B.G.K.'s satellite bands" in Amsterdam.

Yet, these guys would gain minor cult status overseas among hardcore punk fans, when a rather dorky and pasty looking graphic artist, avid record trader and vocalist of Septic Death (who hailed from Boise, Idaho for chrissakes) began raving about their EP in Maximum Rocknroll etc.

Preceding the "deathgrunt" by about a decade these were the gruffest vocals heard to date making it impossible to determine wether the record should be played on 33rpm or 45rpm !

Pushead actually suggested he draw an album cover for B.G.K., an offer we politely declined. Little did we know back then that the artist would be drawing record sleeves and logos for Metallica later.

Where are they now ?
Pushead became chummy chums with the heavy metal elite and is undoubtedly making fortunes with his
personal line of action figures, Japanese monster toys, skateboards, and other crap.
If I had saved the handwritten corrspondence with him all these years I could sell that shit for megabucks on Ebay.

Mornington Crescent were never seen again, but may be heard here
Fanzine editor Charlie Chainsaw resurfaced later in Rancid Hell Spawn, the Sexual abominations, and even has his own Wikipedia entry.
Me, I'm still out there. Whoopee.

Somebody made B.G.K. page on Last.fm
B.G.K. fan page on MySpace
Another B.G.K. fan page on MySpace

Shit City High

2009-05-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

Pablo from Austin's Shit City High lured me all the way to Texas with their demo, which I thought was pretty good as the female vocals made it stand out above the endless mediocrity in this particular subgenre these days.
So in Dec. 2008 I mustered up all my (Dutch) courage and flew to Texas to do 3 shows with them (Austin and Houston). The band seemed pleased, judging by the following press release they sent out :

Thursday, October 23, 2008
tony slug to texas cometh

Tony Slug of Amsterdam punk band The Nitwitz (which also featured Texas punk icon, Mikey Offender), and the trans-global "Rock City" outfit, The Hydromatics (which featured members of The Hellacopters and Sonic's Rendezvous Band), has Joined Shit City High! His energy and "Mad Max" guitar style is incomparable to anyone living!! He will be joining the band for their show with The Misfits Nov. 29th in Houston, TX, which will be a rock 'n' roll overdose that hasn't been seen since punk's "golden years!!" The band will then hit the studio in NYC to record their new album "The Agony and Fury of Rock 'n' Roll!" with new member, Tony Slug. If that wasn't news to blow your socks off...the new album is going to be produced by famed producer Tony Visconti(Bowie, T. Rex and Thin Lizzy)!! Next year the band will be hitting the road, touring the States, Europe and Japan, so look out for these rock maniacs when they come to "Destroy Uranus!!" Welcome to the family Tony!!

Why thanks, it's been real, y'all.

Shit City High demo tracks :
Destroy your anus / Shit City / Dirty Action / Rocknroll bitch
GET IT
pass : slugtrails

V/A Future Now fanzine flexi

2009-05-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

Apparently Issue #4 of England's FUTURE NOW fanzine came with a 7" flexi disk with tracks by Heresy, the Stupids, the Depraved, and B.G.K. on it. Since I do not have a copy, the song and date of this mysterious release are unknown and I'll probably never know.

Four Way Hit videos

2009-05-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

When my good friend Dan offered to fly me all the way from Amsterdam to L.A., just to play at a party with his band, Four Way Hit in December 2008, no way I can say no. I didn't know what to expect, and couldn't bring my Les Paul on the plane.
Only after another long-time friend, Jennifer Finch (from L7 and The Shocker) lent me a guitar we were able to practise at the last minute, just in time to get a little set together, after mere 2 rehearsals in drummer Ron's living room, located downtown East L.A. (an interesting location by all means!).
The fact that we only practised twice may explain why this is a pretty ramshackle affair, but it was just for fun anyways. Probably the only rocknroll band with a native American, a Mexican, a Japanese guy, an American and a Dutchman in it.

Trivia :
Dan (vocals) has been a fixture in the L.A. scene since the late 70's and is the producer of several noteworthy punk releases such as the Legal Weapon LP and a 7" by guitarist Mike's band, Sludge. Check them out.
Bassplayer Mas actually played in one of Japans better known 70's rock groups, Creation (not to be confused with the psychedelic group Creation) at some point.

Let's have a party (Wanda Jackson cover)

Riding with the king

Let's Do It Again (Sonics Rendezvous Band cover)

Murder

Fitz of Depression video

2009-05-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

When Fitz of Depression play Reno, bet your bippy hilarity ensues. I've compiled some of the whackier hi-jinx and Spinal Tap moments resulting in this little mini-Slugumentary™
Glen's Reno Adventure !!!

DOWNLOAD a .wmv encoded 720x576 rez version of this video (132 MB)

Roadhog lesson 1

2009-05-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

Some edutainment for all you rocknrolla N00bz out there.
Stand down from the funk !
Roadhog Lesson 1

DOWNLOAD a .wmv encoded 720x576 rez version of this video (23 MB)

Fitz Of Depression Video

2009-04-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

A little back-to-back montage of us dorking around on the road past week.
This clip has not been edited yet but soon you will know all about SHELF-ASS and WHY GLEN IS THROWING UP. But maybe you won't want to know.
Fitz tour impressions 2009

Fitz Of Deprression video

2009-04-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

Some videos os Fitz Of Depression playing Eugene, Oregon during the second show of a West-coast tour on April 21st, 2009 (My birthday ! And Iggy's birthday, too!). I had only joined the band 4 days earlier. Thanks to Turbojugend Eugene for sending this in these clips (and the T-shirts!)

Loveslug - "Strike me blind" Demo 1987

2009-04-21T00:13:00.000-07:00

A few cuts from Loveslug's first ever demo. This was recorded right after B.G.K. broke up, in 1987. I wanted to get away from the overly politically correct bullshit from constipated, hypocritical squatter nerds AS FAR AS POSSIBLE and have some FUN doing it, singing songs about phonesex and Neanderthals.
PLUS put more ROCKNROLL in the punk. It's not called punk ROCK for nothing, hey I'm just sayin'. But more about that later. It was either "cross-over" or "jazzpunk" in those days. Everybody hated us.

However, future members of the HELLACOPTERS, GLUECIFER and TURBONEGRO took notes when we played their towns. Sluggy tells you no lies. Go and ask them if you don't believe me.

NOTE TO SELF : Insert old fart reminiscing stuff here

Anywhoo the source is 2nd (3d? 4th), shall we say 'budget' cassette tapes I dubbed personally on my cheap-ass cassette player so don't expect much in the way of quality. I did however try to (ahem) enhance the sound digitally (rush job though) but it's my barfday and I'm leaving on a west coast tour in a few hours. So deal, por favor. But you get the riffs, as per usual.

the songs :
- slap your slug
- quest for fire
- charlie
- search and destroy

ROCK ME

password : slugtrails

Hydromatics - the DVD

2009-04-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

That's right folks, a full Hydro DVD ! Joe Chonto documented every single show on the last Hydro European tour with no less than three cameras in HD quality, and is currently in the process of distilling a zillion hours of footage into a full length rockumentary that shall be available in DVD format.
Here's what Joe had to say about the project himself :

Spinal Tap moments : Yeah, there's a whole lot of that!!! I played a little bit for some friends at work that cracked them up good; where Scott asks "Do you guys take requests? Do you know Stairway to Heaven?" And Paul responds in Indian accent "Steroids to Heaven? That is my very favorite song next to I Left My Snake In San Francisco."
Tomfoolery aplenty but also cool stories from Scott about the history of Sonic's Rendezvous Band and other things, that great footage of you and Ries in Bilbao at night, talking about the music biz, what the Hydromatics means to you, etc.
And of course the hotel room debacle in Rennes when we all got rudely awakened by the housekeeper, Benno's memorial -- just a whole range of stuff that goes way beyond the cookie cutter predictability of rock & roll road movies.

One thing guaranteed -- the Hydromatics film will have a whole lot of content.

- Joe

Yet another project in the works

2009-04-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Now it's getting a bit hard to keep track of all the cross fertilisation going on here, but it looks like former Hydromatics and Powertrane drummer, Ann Arbor native Andy Frost (pictured far left) will reunite reunite with yours truly this summer for some heavy duty rocknroll.
Andy played on the Powerglide album and did several full European tours with the Hydromatics. We plan on recording something in Seattle with Jack Endino, so stay tuned !
In this video : Andy in action with Powertrane featuring Scott Morgan, Robert Gillespie (Rob Tyner band) and Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman).

LINKS

Powetrane official
Powertrane on Myspace

Just a bunch of Hydro flyers

2009-04-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

Who wants to see some pretty flyers ? ME ! ME ! ME !

Fitz of Depression tourdates

2009-04-08T03:19:00.000-07:00

I'm a mongoloid and just joined Fitz Of Depression (Olympia, Wa.) for a little West coast tour. These guys have been around since 1988 or so and released a ton of stuff.

TOURDATES

Apr 18 2009 Tony V’s Garage Everett, Washington
Apr 21 2009 Samurai Duck, Eugene, Oregon
Apr 22 2009 Henflings Tavern Santa Cruz, California
Apr 23 2009 Annies Social Club, San Francisco, California
Apr 24 2009 The Relax Bar Los Angeles, California
Apr 25 2009 Ruby room, San Diego, California
Apr 29 2009 Burnt Ramen Richmond, California
Apr 30 2009 Fire Escape, Sacramento, California
May 1 2009 Whiskey Dicks Saloon, South lake Tahoe
May 2 2009 Sheas Tavern, Reno, Nevada
May 3 2009 Billy Bombay's, Redding, California
May 4 2009 Portland, Oregon TBC

GOODIES

GET "let's give it a twist" by Fitz of Depression
GET "swing" by Fitz of Depression
(password : slugtrails)

LINKS

Fitz Of Depression MySpace

Rave records compilation #3 (2006)

2009-04-03T15:52:00.001-07:00

Another release I didn't know a thing about. This one contains the Loveslug track called "Loser Bar" which was previously released as a split single together with Skin Yard on Glitterhouse (Europe) and Rave Records (USA).

You can buy the song here for $0.99 but as per usual, I have no clue whatsoever where that money goes. It definitely isn't me.

Loveslug - Circus of Values LP/CD

2009-04-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

The fourth (actually 3d and a half) + final Loveslug release came out in 1994 shortly before band broke up, and Glitterhouse records, let's say, 'parted company' with us. Needless to say we never got a penny from that label, which seems to be 'not uncommon' among the artists on their roster.
To my surprise the also appeared to own a third of the publishing rights later. How the hell did that happen I'll never know. Then, and fifteen years later (i.e. just now) I learned that the record was also licensed to and released by Rave Records in the US (cat. nr. Rave 025) on vinyl. Did anybody even bother to tell the band ? Hell no. In which context this bit information is also interesting.

Deja vu / Deja screw, that's what I'm talking about brothers and sisters.

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY, German band DIE AERZTE blatantly stole my title "RocknRoll Ubermensch" (as they state themselves on an early pressing of their album with the same name), to consequently sell hundreds of thousands of copies of it.

Sluggy gets no love folks.

The sleeve art was created by famed Dutch underground comic artist Peter Pontiac, who also did record covers for B.G.K. and the Nitwitz. A part of it was reproduced on the cover of his (highly recommended!) rocknroll book "Pontiac Review #5"

GOODIES

GET "Circus Of Values" (password : slugtrails)

LINKS

Peter Pontiac expo

Loveslug - Snailhouse Rock 12"

2009-04-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

This is the second Loveslug release, I think from 1988/1989. It is an 8 song, 12 inch 45 rpm mini LP that came out on ~~Glitterhouse~~ Shitterhouse records from Germany. The first 1500 copies were pressed in fluorescent green vinyl, consequent pressings are in black vinyl. The bizarre cover picture appears to be the portrait of some artist who used live snails doused in paint as his "brushes".

I'll digitize and upload the tunes when I have the time.

Loveslug - Coyote Date 45

2009-04-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

Loveslug "Coyote Date" single. I stole the cover pic from a "feminist art exhibition" in hopes of getting "you're sexist" flak. But of course, when you try, it never happens. The flipside "Quest For Fire" is a different version from the one that appeared on "Howl" magazine freebie. I.e. it was actually mixed. I think 1500 copies exist. The "Coyote Date" lyrics are pretty sordid.

Nitwitz / Hellacopters "RnR Jihad" 45

2009-03-31T01:29:00.000-07:00

Nitwitz / Hellacopters "RocknRoll Jihad" 45 was released in 1998 on my own RocketDog label.
The sleeve art was made by frontman of Swedish Grammy award winners 96 the Hellacopters frontman, former Hydromatics drummer and all-round wunderkind Nick Royale.

The Nitwitz cut "Jackass" is identical to the version that appeared on the Nitwitz album Dark Side of the Spoon.

5 seperate pressings of "RocknRoll Jihad" exist, in an array of dazzling vinyl/label/sleeve colors. Collect them all !

B.G.K. - video

2009-03-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

Another B.G.K. video on youtube ca. 1985

HERE

Hydromatics - Heaven/Dangerous 45

2009-03-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

First ever Hydromatics release on my own rocketDog label. Recorded during the "Parts Unknown" sessions with the Hellacopters' Nick Royale on drums, mixed by me for more Mosrite guitars and a way different sound ! The Sonics Rendezvous Band song "Heaven" does not appear on the album. Limited to 1000 copies and sold out. No wait, there's some copies here. When/if I find the masters again I'll upload this.

Loveslug bio

2009-03-29T02:32:00.000-07:00

Someone out there on the interwebs went through the trouble of writing a little LOVESLUG bio. Whoopee.

BIOGRAPHY
1987
Loveslug is formed is formed by Tony Leeuwenburgh, who, in the first part of the '80s, makes a name for himself with punk band the Nitwitz and hardcore band B.G.K. Frank Sloos is a former member of party punk band Outrageous, and Mike de Veer used to play in hardcore band Funeral Oration and '60s garage band Plainfield. For Brenzev, Loveslug is his first band. Loveslug is influenced by the likes of Radio Birdman, The Stooges, The Ramones, Ted Nugent and MC5. They call their music 'slugrock'.

1988
The band mostly performs in Germany. Glitterhouse Records, a German label, releases the Loveslug albums, starting with Slug 'Em All. Especially the German underground music press is enthusiastic about the Dutch band, which seems to have a fascination for serial killers and B-movies. Although Leeuwenburgh is not the world's best vocalist and the production of the album is regarded slightly dull, Slug 'Em All gets positive reviews. Loveslug contributes a song on an EP released via the German independent magazine Howl and the band also contributes songs for the Glitterhouse compilations Motor City Madness and This House Is Not A Motel.

1989
Loveslug releases the mini album Snail House Rock which contains a cover of the Linda Ronstadt hit You're No Good. Guest musician on the album is saxophone player Hans Dulfer. In the spring of 1988 Leeuwenburgh used to be a member of Dulfer's band Reflud. After the release of Snail House Rock Loveslug and US band The Fluid kick off a successful tour of Germany and Switzerland. The two bands also record a split single, which comes out of the Glitterhouse label. The single contains live recordings of Madhouse and Fire Free Zone.

1990
Loveslug and Dulfer again work together under the name Refslug. In March Beef Jerky is released. The album is recorded with the US Sub Pop producer Jack Endino, known from his work with Mudhoney, Nirvana and Screaming Trees. Again, there is criticism on Leeuwenburgh's vocal abilities. Hans Dulfer is guest musician on songs like Lily Is Dead, a parody of Candy Dulfer's Lily Was Here. In the spring Loveslug tours Germany, the north of Spain, Scandinavia, Switzerland and Austria.

1993
In the summer Loveslug's fourth album Circus Of Values is released. It is regarded being the band's artistic highlight. Circus Of Values is produced by Endino and is praised for its strong compositions and Leeuwenburgh's improved vocal skills. The band is still more popular in Germany than at home, but despite this their stage appearances are becoming less frequent.

1994
Loveslug splits up because of illness of bass player De Veer. Loveslug's farewell gig is played in the spring at the Arena in Amsterdam. Drummer Sloos has joined the bands the Kliek and the Treble Spankers.

1996
Sloos is successful with the Treble Spankers. Leeuwenburgh reforms the Nitwitz and records a demo for Epitaph.

Mike De Veer quit the band of diabetes. For Loveslug's last performance we bought 20 packs of sugarcubes and handed these out to the audience at the door, advising them to "pelt us with it". the venue was NOT amused.

V/A - als je haar maar goed zit, vol.2

2009-03-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

volume two in "als je haar" compilations, released on B.G.K.'s Vogelspin label in 1983 or 1984.
Together with volume one, this compilation appeared as this bootleg. The B.G.K. tunes re-appeared on the "Dutch Feast" re-release on alternative Tentacles.

1. PANDEMONIUM "Wir Fahren Gegen Nazi's"
2. HAEMORRHOIDS "Government's Decision"
3. OUTLAWZ "El Salvador"
4. B.G.K. "Video-Voodoo"
5. LAST FEW "Revenge"
6. NULL A "Ratz!!"
7. PANDEMONIUM "Traffic Lights"
8. ZMIV "Crime"
9. ZMIV "Genocide"
10. ZMIV "Loose It"
11. AMSTERDAMNED "Melting Pot"
12. AMSTERDAMNED "Murder"
13. AMSTERDAMNED "Sleep"
14. B.G.K. "Cross Criminals"
15. HAEMORRHOIDS "Victims of Society"
16. OUTLAWZ "Enola Gay/Anyway"
17. LAST FEW "Narrow Minds"
18. NULL A "Arbeit Macht Frei"
19. OUTLAWZ "Dollars"
20. PANDEMONIUM "Bad Dream"
21. LAST FEW "Suicide Commando"
22. HAEMORRHOIDS "PUNK"
23. NULL A "Romansick

GET IT

V/A - Tribute to B.G.K.

2009-03-28T15:21:00.001-07:00

Assorted Dutch hardcore/crust bands cover B.G.K. on this release, recorded by the wonderful folks at Villa Friekens in Amsterdam.

GET IT

password : slugtrails

V/A - P.E.A.C.E. compilation

2009-03-27T09:57:00.001-07:00

Some kind of "benefit" release that came out ca. 1985 on double LP format on MDC's "R Radical" label. Contains a B.G.K. track. This this was re-released in CD format by New Red Archives records, who ever that may be. According to wikipedia : "it is not known if the benefit aspect of the original album still holds".
My guess is umm, no.

GET disc 1
GET disc 2

Dulfer's Reflud "High Noon" 45

2009-03-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

a 45 on Mercury Records with controversial (depends on who you ask) Dutch Jazz tycoon Hans Dulfer in whose band I played for years.
BUY IT

Hans dulfer website

Songs the MC5 taught us

2009-03-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

info

Hydromatics did "Baby won't Ya" on "Parts Unknown". Pick it up HERE. So that was the second time Scott recorded that song I suppose. Loveslug performed "Kick Out The Jams" and "Looking at You" live ca. 1987-1990. We also did "I want you right now" by the Troggs which was covered by the MC5.
Will digitize and upload those old cassette tapes that are gathering dust under my couch for 20 years when I have the chance, maybe. Shit rocks, yo.

Nitwitz - It Shows In Your Face EP

2009-03-27T09:20:00.001-07:00

4 Nitwitz tracks released on Intensive Scare records in the USA, ca 1997, before "Dark Side Of the Spoon" came out. 3 cuts of these cuts appeared on the album.
BUY IT

V/A - Ecstacy of the Agony

2009-03-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

Compilation on alternative Tentacles with a B.G.K. tune. I dunno which one. At least we're labelmates with the great Wesley Willis. Other acts include the Fartz(feat. future guns n roses bassist), false prophets, dicks, lard, etc.

BUY IT (it's just 5 bucks, yo)

The Felchers

2009-03-27T07:42:00.001-07:00

Nitwitz members The Gadge and Jevin "Dick Ginger" formed the Felchers to have something to do while Theo and I were on tour with the Hydromatics in 1999 (the Hellacopters/Zen Guerrilla/Hydro tour). The first Felchers album is bona fide Slugrock, they even let me play some doodles on it.
Several Spanish tours, an endorsement from a skateshoe manufacturer later they went belly up after a brief flirt with Eagles of Death Metal type stuff

GOODIES

PICK UP THE ALB
Soul Rocket
Devil Transport
Kamikaze Kamasutra
Just about ready to shine

LINKS

Felchers website
Just in case

Nitwitz Interview 1995

2009-03-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Nitwitz Interview with LOWCUT magazine (Denmark) from 2005, retrieved from Nederpunk website / archives.

Tony Slug (guitarist, vocalist and leader of The Nitwitz) is a bonafide Dutch punkrock legend who started The Nitwitz, 'the least popular band in Holland', over 25 years ago! Later he also played in bands like BGK, Loveslug and The Hydromatics (with Detroit icon Scott Morgan). I visited him and his 'incest brothers' The Felchers in Amsterdam some years ago, and had a good drunken time and went back home to Copenhagen with Nitwitz's awesome "Dark Side Of The Spoon" album. Recently he sent me their two latest 10"s, "Totalitarian Rock'n'Roll" and "Nibble The Giblet", which more than confirmed Nitwitz's status as one of Europe's most superior kickass punkrock'n'roll combos. As you will experience in the interview, Tony is man of strong opinions on anything related to rock'n'roll. He's also born in Denmark, and still has family here, so he knows a lot of Danish cusswords, which might come in handy since The Nitwitz's upcoming tour includes some Danish dates (March 17th).

LC: Gimme a run down of your musical history, you started Nitwitz around 1978, and later BGK?

Tony Slug: Yes, the Nitwitz started in May 1978, barely catching the last glimpses of the first punk wave. By 1981 we were the most popular punk band in the country because we emphasized playing FAST instead of bleep bleep 'innovative' bullshit. So the Nitwitz played ALL the time, every barn, bar or bar-mitzvah for that matter. And 25 years later the Nitwitz are the LEAST popular band in the country, he he. By 1982, this English Oi thing was so nauseating we morphed into BGK, and we played what was later to be known as US hardcore. Even the punks didn't like us, they said it was too fast. We sped things up considerably after hearing the first US records that trickled over the pond, like Hüsker Dü's "Land Speed Record", and especially the Bad Brains casette tape on Roir. Jesus Christ. The best show I ever saw was the Bad Brains play to 40 people in 1981. UNBELIEVABLE! A bunch of dreadlocked brothers from DC doing it better faster and harder than ANY of those English spiky haired doltfucks. It was just what punk rock needed. Then by 1986 the whole scene had changed. You had all these metal guys trying to claim punk roots, punkers trying to play metal, I mean, what's the use. On the other hand you had all these whitebread suburban straight edge geeks, being right wing/reactionary and hardline about non-issues such as who does and who doesn't drink. Who needs another 7th generation Minor Threat clone? I sure as shit don't. I love Minor Threat, but Youth Of Today? I don't think so. And then there were all these bands doing the "jazzcore" thing which I found not so bad, but essentially it wasn't all that different from virtuoso Yes or Santana doodling, just faster. So I wanted to bring some original punk roots back in, you know, Stooges, MC5, Dead Boys, but played faster, at HC speeds. I thought that was the shit, so I formed Loveslug with a bunch of other knuckleheads. We were just a bunch of silly drunks, and the time wasn't right for this stuff yet.. I'm five years ahead of my time, hahaha!

Nitwitz 2001 : Benito Gasolini, Dick Ginger, Gadge, Slug

LC: Loveslug was a pretty successful band which records got distributed all over the world?

TS: Well, I don't know about being successful necessarily, I guess the records are distributed, and somebody is probably making $ off them but it sure as hell ain't me. The records weren't so great anyways. Still it was fun. We toured a lot and I like to think it had some impact, judging by the bands who play covers of our shit. People didn't know what to think of us. We had long hair, but didn't play metal, then when we did two LONG tours with the great The Fluid from Denver, and people lumped us in with all that grunge stuff, which we had nothing to do with. We were a good time rock'n'roll band, and those were some fun times indeed. In Spain some people claim we were the first to do that punk rock'n'roll thing, together with Union Carbide Productions so that's quite flattering. Nobody should take it all that seriously, though.

LC: There's been several line up changes in Nitwitz, gimme a 2005 update?

TS: Oh man, got a MONTH? Right now Dick Ginger quit playing bass with the Nitwitz to focus on the Felchers, Steven the Gadge is out of the Felchers and back in the Nitwitz. He plays industrial strength wood chipper. Then we have Dutch Frenchman Laurent van Bouvelen the Rickenbacker tamer, doing a great job and wild man Mr Paul 'SuperSonic' Smith from German great Dumbell and the Damagers fame on 5 string Gibson SG guitar. I have to say this line-up whups a woolly mammoths musty ass with a belt. It's totally working, at last.

LC: Tell me about your r'n'r brothers in The Felchers which I had the pleasure of meeting some years ago?

TS: Our incest brothers. Very good band, friends. We hang with them a lot and cook together because they're also hot pepper freaks. I can totally recommend their records. The Felchers ROCK.

LC: You recently had a show cancelled in Germany because the 'sexist' cover art of "Nibble the Giblet" 10"? Any problems before with 'politically correct' people?

TS: No problems as far as I'm concerned, we don't give a fuck. I mean the Nitwitz aren't all that hard up to drive 600 km to play some stank ass squat house to 30 sleeping crusties and their mangy fucking dogs for 150 lousy Euro's you know. If they want to censor us they're being like the Punk Rock Talibans. So, y'know, fuck 'em...

LC: Nitwitz had some serious troubles over the years with labels etc. according to some of your 'rants' at the website?

TS: You must know this is a very dirty business. EVERYBODY gets paid, except the band. And the labels are always covered on every angle. When they say "50-50 after break even", it usually means 100 - 0 and we end up being stuck with a studio bills or 4 grand or so. That's the way the cookie crumbles, I guess. It's very frustrating to be hamstrung because the line-up changes every year and to not have a supportive label. But I'll do it the hard way, because, well, um, I don't know any other way.

LC: Your heroes and inspirations? There's a tribute to the late Johnny Ramone on your website, and you done covers of Radio Birdman, Nervous Eaters and The Nomads.

TS: Johnny Ramone was the first to emphasize the importance of playing downstokes and hanging your guitar at knee height. Great! I totally stole his whole stance from day one. My other heros are the French writer L.F. Celine. And Fred 'Sonic' Smith of course. Chuck Berry, others. We like all those bands, so when we were asked to participate in the 'tribute' albums, which I'm personally not a big fan of AT ALL, we said yes. By the way, we decided that we could be bothered to spend our precious 15 minutes of studio time on quickie recordings.

LC: I really love the shitraw production of the two 10"s ("Nibble The Giblet", "Totalitarian R'n'R") you sent me, ballsy, man!

TS: Well, that's the Tube Tech compressor unit for ya - our secret weapon! As you know the Nitnitz are fighting for the right to be infantile with Friday nite sized loads in our balls , so "ballsy" it shall be, hehe! Mange tak, glad it found a good home. Good to know some people in my beautiful birthcountry Danmark can dig the SLUGROCK sound. We can't wait to rock København. (March 24th according to their tour plan)

LC: Turbonegro's Happy Tom and "Nuke Rock City?

TS: Well Thomas and I were discussing all kindsa silly crap and making fun of numbskulls as we do regularly. Then I went, Dude, I'm staring at a writer's block the size of the Cheops Pyramid here, we're recording this weekend, This is the title, this is what the song is about, help a brother out, yo. Then he immediately sent me a few funny verses the same day. We only ended up using 2 or 3 lines of those, but it fit, nicely. And we thought it'd be neat in a name dropping marketing scheme kinda way. And boy were we ever wrong, ha ha!

Nitwitz ca. 2005 : Laurent and the Gadge

LC: Tell me about the new album "Sex, Lies and Duct Tape"?

TS: Duct tape, it's known as gaffer tape in Europe, in the US they call it duct tape. Anyways it's that silver super-strong kind. Essential part of the Slugrock van repair kit, which also contains an empty beer can, a ballpoint , and a baseball bat , among other useful items for on the road. We actually fixed a busted muffler on the Slugmobile van with it once, on tour. It reeked like hell, but it worked ! For about 60 km to the next garage. Well the title is a spoof on the "Sex Lies and Videotape" movie. I guess Ministry are gonna steal this title too like they've done before with "Dark Side Of The Spoon", those faggoty Goth nerds. But that's just our luck, maybe.

LC: You also running the Rocketdog label which has put out several bitchin' comps?

TS: Well, 'running a label' as big words for such a low profile endeavor. I did the Nitwitz/Hellacopters split, the Hydromatics debut single, and the "Here's Fifty Bucks" comp, which sold a staggering total of FOUR copies in Scandinavia. I'm not fooling. Sex Lies and Duct tape will be next.

LC: Hydromatics and Scott Morgan, plans of new tours and records? What do you think of The Solution?

TS: It would be safe to say the Hydros are finished and over at this point. We've done 4 tours, it was fun, Nicke and myself had been talking about doing some Sonics Rendezvous Band cover/rip off thing, then one thing led to another. After Nicke left, being too busy with the Copters, we were basically on our own, a band without allies, although the Radio Birdman guys were really supportive and Deniz made sure we got to open for them a few times, which was super cool of him. Those guys are amazing btw. We did get to meet a lot of good bands and people all over actually. Holy Curse in Paris, numerous great Spanish bands, etc. But as far as organising stuff we were alone without label support, no management, no booker. And I ended up doing everything myself pretty much. As Theo went AWOL last minute the amount of stress became surreal. Thankfully Laurent, of French punk band the Dogs was willing to fill in, two days before the tour started. We had to make do. But all things come to an end. I'm glad to have been part of it. Plus we got to record most of Sonics Rendezvous Band's at the time unreleased material. So, that's a "Mission Accomplished" right there.. Pitshark from france put out a 10", and Suburban is gonna do a posthumous live CD. That one is almost finished and rocks nicely. As far as the Solution goes, Nicke sent me a raw mix CD-r of it which I played more often than the finished record. Overall it's a bit too lightweight and MTV friendly, non confrontational for my narrow minded tastes on occasion, but overall it's a solid good soul kinda record. Something different. They've got some great drum sounds. Glad to see they're being successful cause they're good at what they do and, they're hearts are in it, and they totally deserve it.

LC: Whats your take on Dutch rock'n'roll anno 2005?

TS: If you mean the crop of Zeke/Glucifer wannabes with flames, hotrods, fuzzy dice and 8-ball imagery, there's no shortage of that, like anywhere else, I guess. Peter Pan Speedrock are HUGE. It's pretty mind bogglingy, but they're cool guys. Felchers and Lo-Lite are great. Lo-Lite are this two piece playing this crazy distorted bluesy noise, really cool ! The Stilettos and 69 Charger aren't bad. I'm not very interested in the Zeke/Gluecifer clones.

LC: Any new year resolutions?

TS: Not really.

LC: Anything to add?

TS: Thanks for the support Jens, we'll see you soon !

V/A - Feel Lucky, Skunk ?

2009-03-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

Another bootleg LP with a Nitwitz cut, taken from the first EP (1980).
Info

V/A - Punk Rock From Holland

2009-03-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

Bootleg from 1996, repressed in 1986 contains a Nitwitz track from the 2nd, 1981 EP and elaborate liner notes from the bootleggers slagging my ass.
If you're gonna steal my shit and gloat about "all the money" you're making with it, at least write your names under it, pussies.
Info

V/A - Ox fanzine # 44 compilation

2009-03-27T06:54:00.001-07:00

Freebie comp CD with issue # 44Germany's Ox fanzine has the Hydromatics track "RIP RnR" on it, taken from the "Powerglide" album.

v/a Large compilation #18

2009-03-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

This release appears to be a promo CD from Suburban records. It has a Hydromatics song it, along with cuts by a Baby woodrose, Agnostic Front, Hermano, Peter Pan Speedrock, Exodus, Hermano and Brian Setzer Orchestra. Wtf ?

v/a The Rocketdog Sessions CD

2009-03-26T22:48:00.001-07:00

An enjoyable compilation with Dutch (plus 1 belgian and 1 german) groups who all have in common that they recorded at Rocketdog Studios.
The Nitwitz version of "Totalitarian Rocknroll" here is different from the album. Paul from Dumbell would later end up in the Nitwitz AND the Hydromatics, and now in the Consultants.
Oekel from the Berserkerz was in Loveslug, while Tjeerd (Lo-Lite) and myself played with Sonny Vincents band ca. 1995.

So what I'm saying here is, all in all it's a pretty incestuous affair.

Get it HERE

password : slugtrails

Nitwitz - Landmine Heart

2009-03-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

Landmine Heart b/w Ticket To Gomorrah came out on 007 Records out of New York. 1000 copies in red vinyl. Same versions as on "Dark Side Of the Spoon"

V/A - bloodstains across Europe

2009-03-24T21:19:00.001-07:00

This bootleg shit is getting out of hand. This one's got 4 Nitwitz tracks taken from the first EP (1980)

DOWNLOAD

V/A - kids of the 80's - A.C.A.B around the world CD

2009-03-24T11:26:00.001-07:00

Another bootleg with a B.G.K. tune. This one appears to be from Brazil.

DOWNLOAD

V/A - World Class Punk

2009-03-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

Originally released on "cassette only" ROIR label from New York, who brought you the Bad Brains, this thing has, unbeknownst to the band, been re-released on CD over ten years ago.
There is a B.G.K. track on it that you can buy here and AGAIN I can't help but wonder who makes money off my song.

GET IT

B.G.K. - 'safety last' video 1986

2009-03-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

B.G.K. - bloodsuckers video 1986

2009-03-24T10:15:00.001-07:00

Found this on youtube(steak). I think this is in New York (CBGB's) 1986 during B.G.K.'s second stateside US tour.

Republican convention 1984 Dallas

2009-03-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 1984, B.G.K. played a protest rally during the Republican convention opening for the Dead Kennedys.

It was right by the actual building. As soon as the repugs came out of the building, they were greeted with a massive "fuck off and die !" roar from the crowd, Jello egging it on. They must have heard that.

After the show was over and the press people had gone, the cops moved in an started beating people bloody. A hundred people were arrested.

LINK:
What happened
See, I always found we had more in common with the MC5 than English mohawk blunderpunk.

A tape of the B.G.K. at the Republican convention 1984 show is going around in the underground trader circuit.

That same fateful year 1984, B.G.K. played the "Rock Against Reagan" tour and performed in Washington DC on the 4th of July (!) on THIS EXACT LOCATION :

Fallen in the war against the jive

2009-03-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

Benito Gasolini and beer tycoon Freddie Heineken

Gone but not forgotten : former Nitwitz bassplayer Mikey Offender, and former Nitwitz guitarist Benito Gasolini. They lived for rocknroll, and rocknroll killed them dead. Maybe they wouldn't have wanted it any other way but damn I miss those guys.
LINKS :
Stones tragedy as stage collapses
Guardian report
2 die taking down Rolling Stones' stage in Madrid
Two roadies killed at Rolling Stones concert
CBS report
Fox news
Mikey Obit in Austin Chronicle

V/A - Tribute to the Nomads

2009-03-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

When it comes to contributing to "tribute" albums the Nitwitz will as a rule decline the offer, but will make exceptions for the likes of Radio Birdman, and the Nomads. For this "20 years too soon" tribute we picked a Nomads tune called "Top Alcohol". The reason was not only it's subject matter, but we also had to steal our own riff back.
Yes, the Nomads lifted it directly from our song "Burn Baby Burn",
which came out years earlier on "Dark Side of the Spoon". Just listen. The riffs are IDENTICAL. that's cool, we'll just steal it back.
Anywhoo this is the only Nitwitz recording with Benito Gasolini (RIP) on guitar and Jevin "Dick Ginger" on lead vocals + Paul Stanley banter.
PICK IT UP

V/A - Tribute to Brezhnev

2009-03-23T15:35:00.001-07:00

BREZHNEV were an Amsterdam band favored by the local "faster and louder" hardcore crowd who weren't bad, but their brand of 10th generation, formulaeic carbon-copy hardcore punk paled in comparison to what B.G.K. had done 15 years earlier.
I'm not a big fan of "tribute albums" anyways and wasn't interested in being part of a "Tribute album" much less for a band we owed absolutely nothing. Just because they're nice guys doesn't mean we have to play on a Tribute album for them.
The other Nitwitz insisted we had to "do something for Brezhnev" out of comradery and eventually I gave in, under the condition they'd let me choose the song.
Naturally picking their only non-political tune, the embarassingly titled "Granny gives good head", which Brezhnev would probably rather forget about, and so would I, hearing our version of it :

Grandma Gives good head

Out of budget considerations, each band got a full hour of studio time to set up, get a "Sound" in a room no bigger than a broomcloset and record, with matchbox sized transistor amps. AND I AM SUPPOSED TO ROCK IN HERE ?
Being at the mercy of some sound weasel didn't help either. Adding insult to injury that geek wouldn't let me do any overdubs as there was "no more time for that".

STOP ! It's hammertime. I mean dinnertime (as opposed to Slugman time).

Pick up the whole album here. Take heed friends : you'll be sorry God gave you ears.

As fate would have it, Brezhnev vocalist Mike Dogshit (sometimes "McDogshit") would end up in the Nitwitz for a while later, as would bassplayer Jevin "Dick Ginger". Their drummer Oeb would in turn replace Nitwitz drummer the Gadge in the Felchers but that's another story.

Nitwitz - Nibble the Giblet

2009-03-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Kokine : chained heat

The "Nibble the Giblet" 10" inch was slammed together as a quickie so we could have something to sell on tour. Limited to 500 copies, it contains outtakes, rarities as well as the "Dark Side of the Spoon" demos (recorded by Jack Endino) financed and consequently rejected by Epitaph in 1996.

Unbeknownst to the band, Pitshark Records put a picture on the record cover of gagged and chained topless woman chained to what appears to be a cage. A sassy French-Moroccan piece of ass by the name of Kokine (HERE, yo) so succulent and tender, that several constipated German dorks promptly got their lederhosen in a bunch over it, and cancelled our shows for being "sexist".
Pitshark bites back
Nitwitz on www.purevolume.com

Total clusterfuck

2009-03-23T00:35:00.000-07:00

Behold this nifty elaborate Hydromatics family tree, crafted by somebody at bandtoband.com who has been doing their homework.

Family Tree

The Hydromatics

Nihilist

Comecon

Morbid

Haystack

Murder Squad

Alpha Safari

Disfear

Entombed

Dismember

Carnage

Mental Distortion

Serpent

Carbonized

Therion

Grave

Krux

The Project Hate MCMXCIX

Vicious Art

Face Down

Born Of Fire

Regurgitate

Merciless

Sonic's Rendezvous Band

The Stooges

Patti Smith And Fred Smith

Sonny Vincent And His Rat Race Choir

MC5

Iggy And The Stooges

Just Colours

Kek 66

The Rationals

B.G.K.

The Hellacopters

The Poet & The Dragon

Urrke T & The Midlife Crisis

Backyard Babies

The Sewergrooves

No Security

Sonic's Rendezvous Band

Super$hit 666

The Wildhearts

Quireboys

Howling Willie Cunt

The Kliek

The Other Side

The Treble Spankers

Ron & The Splinters

Ouke Baas

The Herb Spectacles

The Comedown

The Exist

International Language

Loveslug

The Nitwitz

Dodge Main

Radio Birdman

Deniz Tek

Deviants ixvi

The Visitors

Deep Reduction

Mad For The Racket

Wayne Kramer

Deniz Tek And The Golden Breed

Juliette And The Licks

Kaviar

Glass Insects

New Race

Celibate Rifles

·A·R·M·

The Eastern Dark

The Well

Reaching Forward

Razor Crusade

Modern Life Is War

Bars

The Hope Conspiracy

The Red Chord

Beyond The Sixth Seal

American Nightmare

Piecemeal

Ten Yard Fight

Give Up The Ghost

Deniz Tek Group

Barracudas

The New Christs

The Aints

Mungo Jerry

The Saints

Laughing Clowns

The Fox

Nitwitz - Totalitarian RnR picture disk 10"

2009-03-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Limited edition picture disk released on Cargo Germany in 10" format.
Each of the 4 songs appeared on the "Sex, Lies and Duct Tape" CD.
BUY A COPY
Listen to Raised by Drunks
Denmark's excellent Lowcut magazine raved :

The Nitwitz - Totalitarian Rock'n'Roll 10" (Cargo) + Nibble The Giblet 10" (Pitshark)

Remember when "Supershitty To The Max", "Ass Cobra" and "Dick Disguised As Pussy" came out? If those are some of your favorite albums then Tony Slug & Co. are one horny wet r'n'r dream come through, motherfucker! Happy Tom even co-written "Nuke Rock City" on the 4 track "Totalitarian R'n'R" picture 10" (hilarious fat Caesar cover!) but Tony ain't no rookie to scene since he has been a force to be reckon with in the Dutch punkscene since 1977! "Benito Gasolini", a hymn to their guitarist, sounds like a lost Dictators song, totally outstanding! The "Nibble The Biblet" 10" (limited to 500 copies) almost blew a hole in my roof with the frenzy meanspirited assault of "Rohypnol Lovedoll", but then "Get There First" burnt down house completely, imagine The Pagans and Poison Idea in a bloody knife fight and you're halfway there! The Nervous Eaters' "Just Head" has been covered by Columbian Neckties, and, I hate to say it, but Nitwitz's version totally tops my friends' take on the song. Some of the 9 tracks have been on the "Dark Side Of The Spoon" (Tony sez Ministry stole his title) Get Hip album in different versions, but get everything Nitwitz has released if you know whats good for ya, okay? Fuck the weak shit and get totalitarian, baby, its the only way!! Lowcut # 21 will feature a Nitwitz interview. If you're interested in more hardass Dutch r'n'r mayhem then by all means check out Nitwitz's pervert brothers The Felchers whose members have been in several line-ups of The Nitwitz. Amsterdam ain't just hippies, hookers, potheads and coffeeshops, there's some serious vicious r'n'r monsters lurkin' in the dark alleys!!

SLUGFACTS : It is 100% true that Ministry stole our title "Dark Side of The Spoon". I had that title reserved for a of Loveslug album title 5 years earlier.
The pictures of the crooked toothed lumpkin ass in the toga on the picture disk were found in a trashcan in Cologne Germany by Paul Dumbell. These snapshots were simply too hilarious to pass up, and we're glad to share them with you. They were colorized by myself (heavy duty pixellation) with mad Photoshop skillz.
Nitwitz interview in Lowcut
Felchers interview in Lowcut

B.G.K. - 8 track ep 1984 re-up

2009-03-22T22:41:00.000-07:00

goodbadmusic.com scribbled :

To-the-point Hardcore from when this music still had relevance. In your fucking face power and aggression, no kidding around, serious shit. B.G.K. was one of the angriest bands I’ve seen live: The energy level was on top, they ripped through their set with ferocity and passion and never without a bit of self-irony. Hardcore died a rapid and fairly well deserved death in the years of decline in 1986 and overall has been nothing but a ludicrous attempt in history re-enactment ever since. What a pity actually: The late 70s / first half of the 80s had a massive impact on the life of so many, even though the majority followed the quoted “Rules” above. I didn’t and sometimes, with all the doubts and second thoughts that follow like a shadow, I’m happy that I’m not the only one. How bizarre to expect nothing else from life than empty formulas such as happiness, success, wealth, harmony, peace and quiet, be that in marriage, family, job, religion, ideologies or else. Fuck it all, to hell with it!

Thw complete B.G.K. discography has been re-released on Alternative Tentacles. It’s well worth having. The first LP is very much in the same vein as this, a smoker from a to z, but the second LP “Nothing can go worng” is where it’s at, really.
Don’t just download music - support those who made and make culture happen by buying official releases!

Funny, coming from a guy who admits his involvement in one of the bootleg versions on the same page.

Gone Mad Action Man Kids For Cash
Rules / WMD
Bite the hand (that feeds you shit)Follow the trend
reprise

The Nitwitz - Sex, Lies and Duct Tape

2009-03-22T15:02:00.001-07:00

The Nitwitz "Sex Lies and Duct Tape" was released on my own RocketDog label.

PURCHASE A COPY HERE.

Cheapskates DOWNLOAD IT HERE for free.

The Hydromatics - video

2009-03-20T02:12:00.000-07:00

The Hydromatics recorded live in a radio studio on Sept. 26th, 2001.
We had only practised once or twice before going on tour and it's pretty out of tune, but what can ya do.

Hydromatics like at Club Lek Radio, Amsterdam sept. 26, 2001

Sluggy support crew

2009-02-20T23:05:00.000-08:00

I'll be posting some more Slugrock shortly, youse punk rocks.

V/A - BAbylon bleibt Fahren

2009-02-03T21:11:00.001-08:00

Bootleg compilation with one B.G.K. track.

Hydromatics - Parts Unknown (1999)

2009-02-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

height: 160px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nSpwjN98X50/SYj_WHxxYiI/AAAAAAAAAGc/NKWOIues3DQ/s320/hydroparts.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298765717111398946" />Parts Unknown, Hydromatics debut album on White Jazz (Sweden). It appeared both in CD and in LP form. The first 1000 copies were pressed in clear vinyl.

The release was supported by a 4 week, extensive European tour together with Zen Guerrilla and the Hellacopters (Nicke played two sets per night for a full month !)

PICK IT UP