7/3/09

Cannonball Heard Round the World

Can I just state for the record how much I love The Breeders song "Cannonball"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AsId-qVIb4

Vive la revolution!

6/29/09

Iggy and Heebie invade Holy Lemonland

During the past couple of weeks, one JewPunk sighting and one JewPunk citing.

The citing: Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's in The Jerusalem Post.

The sighting: Beeber Does Iggy in LEMON magazine.

Stay tuned for angry letters to the editors!

6/14/09

Jew Punk Time in New York Times

For those of you who didn't make it to "Loud Fast Jews" at YIVO the other night, no need to worry. Turns out the New York Times was there -- and that they were namedropping "Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's" like nobody's business.

Seriously, it's a funny and interesting article and I'm thrilled to see my book was mentioned in it. Check it out for yourselves:

"Punk, and Jewish: Rockers Explore Identity"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/nyregion/13punk.html

6/11/09

The Hora, the Hora

Remember when Queen Elizabeth said she was having her "annus horribilis"? Sounded kind of dirty, but we knew what she meant. In 1992, not only did Chuck split from Di, Queenie was also forced to pay taxes. The horror, the horror.

In health terms, the previous twelve months have been similarly horrid for me. In addition to numerous colds, flus, coughs and sneezes, I just experienced a three-week bout with pneumonia. Hence, my latest disappearance from bloggerizing. Still, I'm almost fully recovered now, so the inane drivel begins again.

Most recently drivel-wise is a shout out to all of you to go see "Loud and Fast Jews" at YIVO in NYC tonight. Lenny Kaye, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Tommy Ramone and Chris Stein will be talking about the Jewish Origins of Punk. Hmm, sounds like a good idea for a book, doesn't it? I wonder if anyone's written it...

Till next time,

s

4/9/09

Punk 101 Gets a Backstage Pass

Check out the website of the Boston Phoenix. There's a blog (with video) all about my Jewish Origins of Punk class meeting Balkan Beat Box and Sway Machinery backstage. Cool Q's, just as cool A's, and great footage of the show.

http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/onthedownload/

or

http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/onthedownload/archive/2009/04/09/field-trip-tufts-punk-rock-class-visits-with-balkan-beat-box-and-the-sway-machinery.aspx

Hanging onto Passover or Passing on the Hangover?

No, despite the headline I didn't get drunk last night. After all, our forefathers weren't freed from slavery just so that they could go down to the local pub. Or weeeeere they? Seems to be a lot of talk of vineyards and grape-peeling in the good book (what, not the "best" book?), so maybe we've gotten it all wrong.

Still, as I say, no imbibing for me. I was a fiddler on the wagon, not falling off the roof, sipping OJ and munching on macaroons late into the evening.

But today's another day and I guess I could say I've got something of a coconut hangover. Just so much of the sweet stuff you can take. Like me and WE TV (Women's Entertainment Television). Enough of the Golden Girls already. Bring on the chainsaws and David Mamet!

In other news, two items.

First, none of you has yet to guess my favorite Beatle (aside from those of you who know who you are and are ineligible due to contest rules restricting friends, families and employees.) Come on people, it can't be that hard? I'm not pulling an overly clever trick here and including someone like Stu Sutcliffe or Pete Best (though Stu's pretty fucking cool, in my opinion.) Let's get those cards and letters coming. I feel the need to inscribe, and now!!

Second, I just came across yet another item about Jew Punk that also mentions the book and my personal thoughts on the subject. It's straight outta The Forward and concentrates on Can Can, a band from my native state of Jo-Ja (Georgia to the Yankees among you.) One thing I especially like about this band is that they're not only from GA, they grew up in Austell, a tiny town (at least in my day) where (drum roll please) my father had his dry goods (that is, clothing) store.

Vive l'Austell! Long live jeans, t-shirts and ladies slacks!

And of course, God praise Beat Music in all its forms.

xo,

s

3/31/09

"Name that Beatle" contest!

As usual, I've been a bad blogger. Very bad!! Not only don't I post as often as I should, when I do, I post very little. Well, today's belated and overly short post is in keeping with this pattern, except for one thing -- it gives some indication as to why this is so.

And why is it? Well, basically, the halls of academe call to me with their siren song of youth productively instructed and hopefully not misspent. In other words, I am busy with my teaching duties.

But rather than tell you this, why don't I show it to you via an article that was just posted about one of my classes. The class, as you'll see, relates to my book on the Jewish Origins of Punk and it is quite nicely written and laid out. In fact, it features both a pic of the Ramones and a video of them in performance. Perhaps best of all, though, it presents me in classic Teen Beat magazine fashion. I just wish they'd asked me about my favorite color -- and fave Beatle.

Speaking of Beatles, the first person to name my favorite Fab will receive an inscribed copy of "The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's" -- gratis! After all, the anagram of my name isn't Ever Been Beatles* for nothing!

* Okay, okay, so it isn't spelled exactly correctly, but come on, who said Fate was a good speller.