Rewind: 2006 - The World is Ready for Bruce's 1975 Hammersmith Show

First Show in London 1975

Back in 2005 as part of the Born to Run 30th Anniversary Boxset the DVD of the Hammersmith Odeon show from 1975 was issued for the first time ever!

On this day in 2006 the record company released it on CD format.

Happy Birthday Cindy Wilson (B-52s)

Born on this day in 1957

Cindy Wilson

of the

B-52's

Alphabet Beats #059: I is for...The Insyderz

I is for...

  

The Insyderz are a Christian ska-punk band from Detroit, Michigan. They formed in 1996 and disbanded in 2005, but reformed in 2009. The Insyderz are one of the "big three" bands which represented the Christian ska scene, alongside the OC Supertones and Five Iron Frenzy.

Click on the links to listen to The Motor City Ska Sound of The Insyderz.

1997: Motor City Ska

1998: Skalleluia!
1998: Paradise CD Single.
1998: Fight of My Life.
1999: Skalleluia Too!
2001: The Greatest and The Rarest.
2003: Soundtrack to a Revolution.
2012: The Sinner's Songbook.

The Insyderz Live and Other Bits

Call To Arms.

The Hunted.

Soundtrack To A Revolution.

Carnival.

Seeing Voices.

Jigsaw (Promo).

He Has Made Me Glad (Promo).

Just What I Needed (Cars Cover).

Like Drawing Blood From A Baby.

In The Secret.

We Come In Peace.

Rewind: 1971 - Janis Joplin hits #1

On this day in musical history back in 1971, five months after her death, Janis Joplin started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Pearl.' The album was released on 11th January and was the only album that her touring band at the time, The Full Tilt Boogie Band, appeared on. The original release contained ten tracks, nine of which Janis sang on, 'Buried Alive in the Blues' is an instrumental that Joplin never got around to adding vocals to due to her untimely death.

Alphabet Beats #058: I is for...Isbell as in Jason

I is for Jason Isbell

This is dedicated to my mate Gol

Jason Isbell   is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Green Hill, Alabama, in Lauderdale County. He is best known for his solo career, and as a former member of the Drive-By Truckers for 6 years.

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit

Live in Alabama

13th April 2013

 

Southeastern (2013)

Click on the links to enjoy more from Jason Isbell.

 Sirens of the Ditch (2007).

Live at the Twist and Shout (2008).

Here We Rest (Full Album 2011).

Live on KEXP.

G and G Back Porch Session (2013).

The Living Room NYC (20/10/11).

Born in the U.S.A.

Decoration Day (Live).

Razor Town (Live).

Traveling Alone (Live).

Like A Hurricane (Neil Young Cover).

James Stevenson - Suzi's Problem (New Video 2015)

Link for a previous spotlight on James.

 

Go Mister (Promo)

Alphabet Beats #057: I is for...Icon For Hire

I is for....

Icon for Hire is an American rock band from Decatur, Illinois. Formed in 2007, the band's current lineup consists of singer Ariel, guitarist Shawn Jump, bassist Josh Kincheloe, and drummer Adam Kronshagen. They released two EPs independently before signing to Tooth and Nail Records, through which they released their two Billboard-charting albums Scripted in 2011 and Icon for Hire on October 15, 2013.

Christmas Rock Night 

Germany 2012

Scripted (2011)

Icon For Hire (2013)

Other Vids etc

Rock and Roll Thugs (Lyric Video).

Make A Move (Live at Flevo 2012).

Hope of Morning (Live Toledo 2013).

Conversation With A Rockstar (Acoustic).

The Grey (Solo Piano - NYC 2013).

Sugar and Spice (Live Toledo 2013).

Acoustic Set At Hot Topic (2009).

Nerves and a Smile (Live 2013).

Whosoever Session (Live 2012).

Cynics and Critics (Live on Vans Warped Tour 2014.

Alphabet Beats #056: H is for...Huntingtons

H is for....

The Huntingtons are a punk band from Baltimore, Maryland which formed in 1993-1994 in the Maryland/Delaware area by Cliff Powell (aka Cliffy Huntington), Mike Holt (aka Mikey Huntington) and Mike Pierce (aka Mikee Huntington). The band is heavily influenced by The Ramones.

Albums (* only contains a track or several tracks from album as no complete album available)
    Sweet Sixteen (1996)*
    Rocket to Ramonia (1996)*
    Fun and Games (1997)*
    High School Rock (1998)
    File Under Ramones (1999)
    Get Lost (1999)

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1999)
    Plastic Surgery (2000)
    Rock 'n' Roll Habits for the New Wave (2001)
    Songs in the Key of You (2001)
    Self-titled Album (2003)

Growing Up is No Fun (2005)
    Pull the Plug (2005)*

Other Bits

No Pool Party Tonight.

Happy Birthday Mike Peters

The Alarm

Rockpalast 1984

Solo

Acoustic Live (Audio)

Cardiff 2009

The Alarm

The Scala, London

1st March 2004

Solo

Declaration Tour 2014

Liverpool

Rewind: 22-23 February 2014 - The Boss is Drinkin' the Wine

Show 13 and 14 on The High Hopes Tour took Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band to the heart of Australian Wine Country. Almost six hours of music were played, 54 songs

Setlist:
Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee
Badlands
No Surrender
Two Hearts
Bobby Jean
High Hopes
Just Like Fire Would
Murder Incorporated
Trapped
Wrecking Ball
The River
American Skin (41 Shots)
Because the Night
Working on the Highway
Darlington County
Shackled and Drawn
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
The Ghost of Tom Joad
Land of Hope and Dreams
* * *
The Wish (solo acoustic)
Friday on My Mind
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
Shout
Thunder Road

01. SPILL THE WINE (Eric Burden and War cover, w/ story)
02. My Love Will Not Let You Down
03. Death to My Hometown
04. Seeds
05. Out in the Street/06. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) (Sign request)
07. High Hopes
08. Just Like Fire Would
09. Johnny 99 (Sign request, w/ horn solo)
10. Heaven's Wall
11. BRILLIANT DISGUISE (restarted after 30 sec)
12. Human Touch
13. I'm Goin' Down
14. Pay Me My Money Down
15. Shackled and Drawn
16. Radio Nowhere
17. The Rising
18. The Ghost of Tom Joad (not great sound)
19. Badlands
 

Encore:
20. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)
21. Born in the U.S.A.
22. Born to Run
23. Ramrod
24. Dancing in the Dark
25. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
26. Rockin' All Over the World
27. I WISH I WERE BLIND (solo)
28. Thunder Road (solo)

S4L Presents: The Best Debut Albums #9 - The Damned

The Damned are one of those bands that often get a raw deal when it comes to writing the history of the whole Punk scene between 1976 - 1977. Some saw them as one of the real catalysts for the scene, whilst others often write them off as some cartoonish creation not worth the vinyl they released (a view hard not to agree with when one considers the buffoonary of Captain Sensinble at times!). I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that the two bands that are often given the most attention, The Clash and the Sex Pistols, maybe felt a little threatend by The Damned because they were actually quite proficient when it came to playing their instruments and the fact that they already had released music. Whatever viewpoint one takes there is no denying them their place in the history of the scene because they were just as vital to it as The Clash and the Sex Pistols.

I remember being in W.H. Smith in Forest Hill and seeing their debut album for the first time and being amazed by that front cover! Four grown chaps covered in cream and cake was not what one expects to see on a debut album cover! It's funny when you consider some of the other albums of the time with their arty farty covers, or pretty boy/girl photography and then place the cover of 'Damned, Damned, Damned' next to them and it's like some nightmare by comparison!

And musically this was something altogether different, probably the closest thing to it's sound was the 1973 album 'Raw Power' by Iggy and the Stooges (well to my ears at least, I'm sure someone will say different). I remember asking the lady in the music department of W.H. Smiths (yep, they used to have those way back then!) if she could play a little of it for me. The opening throbbing bassline of 'Neat Neat Neat' kicked in and next thing the manager of the store was rushing behind the till to turn it off, 'you are scaring the customers with this racket', he said! There on the spot I bought it with the money from my milk round (and it had the Hot Rods picture on the back of it!).

Playing it again all these years on it still sounds brilliant I think. A few years back, 2007 to be exact, I picked up the 30th Anniversary Boxset of the album. It had 3CD's, the actual album, a disc of demos and sessions, and the 3rd disc was a very rough sounding recording of The Damned live at the 100 Club. I didn't stump up the cash five years later to get the 35th Anniversary Boxset (with another disc added containing interviews etc about the making of the album.

Whilst the singles ('New Rose' and 'Neat Neat Neat') are standout tracks for me I absolutely loved '1 of the 2' and 'I Feel Alright' (a cover of The Stooges song '1970') have been my favourites since the album was released and still are today. The Stooges cover by the way is just one of many classics that The Damned have covered down through the years (The Beatles' 'Help' was on the B-side of 'New Rose').

The Damned were a band of firsts:
First UK Punk band to release a single ('New Rose' was released 5 weeks before the Sex Pistols issued 'Anarchy in the UK').
First UK Punk band to release an album (two months before The Clash released their debut album).
First UK Punk Band to break up and get back together again!

Released 18th February 1977

Stiff Records

UK Album Chart #36

Produced by Nick Lowe

31Minutes 32 Seconds

Band Line Up

Dave Vanian - Vocals

Brian James - Guitar and Vocals

Captain Sensible - Bass and Vocals

Rat Scabies - Drums and Vocals

Some copies of the album were released with a Eddie and The Hot Rods picture on the back cover! A deliberate ploy apparently by Stiff Records (who were distributed by Island Records home of Eddie and The Hot Rods).

The proper back cover was a shot of the band playing at The Roxy and a small photo booth picture of Captain Sensible. This was due to the fact that the Captain had said that because on the front cover he was the one who ended up with so much cream and cake that he could barely be recognised,"so I went down a photo booth and got some pictures, cut one out and said 'put that on there' so I would have something to show my relatives, because I didn't think we'd be invited to make another album." 

   Original Album Tracklist

All Songs written by Brian James unless otherwise noted

The links here are not necessarily the actual album versions (though some might be) but are live or alternative versions. The original album versions can be heard in the video above.

Side One  
1. "Neat Neat Neat"       2:46
2. "Fan Club"       3:00
3. "I Fall"       2:08
4. "Born to Kill"       2:37
5. "Stab Yor Back" (Rat Scabies)     1:03
6. "Feel the Pain"       3:37

Side Two 

1."New Rose"       2:44

2."Fish" (Brian James/Tony James)     1:38
3. "See Her Tonite"       2:29
4."1 of the 2"       3:10
5. "So Messed Up"       1:55
6."I Feel Alright" (David Alexander, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton, Iggy Pop)     4:26

Alphabet Beats #055: H is for...Hause as in Dave

H is for...

I want to dedicate today's Alphabet Beats to two dear friends:

Rue and Soda.

Dave Hause, born David Andrew Hause, March 12, 1978 is an American singer-songwriter who has played in multiple Philadelphia, PA area punk and hardcore bands. He currently performs solo as well as sings and plays guitar in The Loved Ones. 

Live in Dresden

18th June 2014

Resolutions 2011

Devour 2013

Promos/Covers/and whatever else we can find

C'mon Kid.

Same Disease.

Bricks (Live).

Live at The Ramones Museum Berlin.

Minimum Wage is a Gateway Drug.

Time Will Tell.

Philadelphia Live Free Show 2013.

Gimmie Something Good.

100K/Coma Girl/Constructive Summer (Live).

The Shine (Live).

Trusty Chords (Acoustic).

Whistles the Wind.

Joining the Army.

Stockholm Syndrome (Session).

Jane (Altar TV).

Resolutions (Live with Chuck Ragan).

Ghosts on the Broadwalk.

The Great Depression (Altar TV).

Benediction (Live).

Heavy Heart (Live).

We Could Be Kings.

S4L Presents: The Best Debut Albums #8 - The Psychedelic Furs

Before talking about today's choice I just want to say that the numbers you see in the title to this post and any post in this series are not a chart placing, there is no chart (I did say that I had intially wanted to do a chart but as the choices were so many I abandoned that idea pretty fast). This is article #8 in what I presume to be a long running series. Just thought I'd clear that up to prevent any more confusion as a couple of people had asked to see a list of the albums going to be spotlighted (well they are not going to get the chance as my poor chicken scrawl means it would be difficult for them to decipher!). So, from my poorly scribbled list and the choices of some guests you'll get them as they come, not in any particular order of preference to me. Let's move on...

One debut album to me that still stands the test of time is the self-titled album from The Psychedelic Furs. It's hard to believe that the album is 35 years old this year. It's an album that also gets a lot of airplay at home.

Whilst other albums of theirs enjoyed greater success chartwise, from a personal point of view I don't think any of them bettered this debut release (there, I've said it and will stand by that no matter what others may say!).

Released February 1980

Epic Records

 

The album reached #18 in the UK Chart and only #140 in the US Chart.

 

 The tracklisting below is for the 9 track original UK release. For some reason 'Blacks'Radio' was removed from the US release and 'Susan's Strange' and 'Soap Commercial' replaced it.

 

Produced by Steve Lilywhite (except where noted)

Side one

1. "India" – 6:21
2. "Sister Europe" – 5:38
3. "Imitation of Christ" – 5:28
4. "Fall" – 2:40
5. "Pulse" – 2:37 (produced by Howard Thompson, Ian Taylor and The Psychedelic Furs)

Side two

1. "We Love You" – 3:26 (produced by Howard Thompson, Ian Taylor and The Psychedelic Furs)
2. "Wedding Song" – 4:19
3. "Blacks/Radio" – 6:56
4. "Flowers" – 4:10 (produced by Howard Thompson, Ian Taylor and The Psychedelic Furs)

Alphabet Beats #054: H is for...Holly as in Buddy!

H is for

Today's Alphabet Beats is shorter than normal, we could have posted a truckload of music by Buddy Holly but settled for a 65 Track Compilation 'The Complete Buddy Holly: Before The Music Died'. A casual glance over the tracklist confirms that all the great tracks are there so without further ado...The Late Great Buddy Holly!

The S4L Interview: Poet Billy Lamont - Postscript

Postscript

A final word or two from Poet Billy Lamont. He shared this idea with me and I thought it would be a fun thing to add on as the Full Stop to our interview together. Doug, S4L.

Poet Billy:

"Oh dudeness of coolness...I had an idea that may be too much but thought it was kind of cool. When no one was interviewing me I came up with a poem "self interview/self portrait (a post modern dada)" which is now a song poem with Blackhouse sort of an experimental psalm of david with electronic keyboard harp sound... It is on Beyond Babylon album..."

 

self interview/self portrait
[a postmodern dada]

by billy lamont

For R.S. Pearson

self interview-
the problem of suffering
<—pascal talk some sense into me
—>franz kafka is stalking me
—>baudelaire mind is thinking me
<—need to wash my mind with The Holy Bible
<—and then dry it with r. s. pearson’s phiolosophy

I woke up dreaming of Christian reformation
senses reeling with andre breton’s surrealist manifestoes
went drinking with martin luther and bono
discussed theology in the corner pub
pints of ale and irish whiskey
clashing with The Holy Bible in my soul
like holy rock and roll-
we shared belly laughs
and prayers for the common man

I stepped outside into the cool, fall air
alone
lit a miniature cigar from santo domingo
and took a slow drag
soul of sky was masked by a nuclear cloud
did someone cut me?
     didn’t realize I was slowly bleeding
did you warn me?
     sorry I wasn’t listening

~stoic survival~

like a wound with a new stitch
like a nervous twitch
I’ve been living on the border of an unfulfilled wish
the local town’s church bell rings out
faithfully, like it always does
every hour
The Spirit is the same
but the times sure have changed

mirror perspective
a photograph
I am an outsider amongst outsiders
a rebel amongst rebels
never could find the outside of society for me
in this subculture of conformity
<—The Holy Bible is the message guiding me
<—kiergard’s writing like a lamp illuminating me
<—escher’s lines keep redefining me
<—Lord have mercy

self portrait-                    ^
GOD is...               I am...   
GOD is...               I am...   
GOD is my dada          JESUS is the wonderful I AM   

I think you like picasso, all perspectives at once
[bet this is how GOD sees it}

feel you passionately like van gogh
[i know this is GOD’s holy passion]

love and kiss her like klimpt’s “the kiss”
[know GOD’s desire for us through this]

i see JESUS THE CHRIST’s cross like dali
[awakens me to GOD’s higher view; JESUS’s amazing power,
infinite love and humility]

have i expressed this like jackson pollack’s paint drippings?
[oh to be a unique splash of color in God’s expressionistic masterpiece!]

I AM
IAM
JESUS IS the magnificient I AM!

 Click on the Links to Listen to some more from

Beyond Babylon.

..Like Marconi Sos (Save Our Soul Prologue).

Scattered (Dizzy).

Argyle Park.

Silent Doom (Pure White Light).

Haiku-A-Cuckoo.

 Self Interview/Self Portrait (A Post Modern Dada) (See video above)

A Van Gogh Morning.

That's Why I Did What I Did (Love is Eternal).

Walt Whitman America.

Imagine A Day.

...Like Marconi (Epilogue).

The S4L Interview: Poet Billy Lamont - Your Loosened Tongue Employ

  

Billy Lamont is an American poet with an avant-garde approach to writing, music, politics and performance art. At the heart of his poetry is the passion to inspire hope and to be a voice for everyday people. His unique vision for poetry into the 21st century, combined with a belief in the power of words for creation, reformation and healing brought his influence from grassroots to national success in the 1990s and then international recognition in the 2000s. His poems encourage dignity, uphold life and have been a catalyst for many people, inside and outside of society, to live in a more loving way and to feel for different justice causes for the first time to help with personal and social reform.

Poet Billy Lamont is a live performer, writer, recording artist, for details of his works of poetry in book or CD form check out the store on his website where there is much information regarding places to obtain the goods.

It gives me great pleasure to be able to bring this little interview (conducted via personal messaging on Facebook) to you. Here am I in Scotland, and there was Poet Billy Lamont snuggled up around the fireplace, beer in hand in New York City. As is typical with a Poet you can expect a lot of words and information (click on the highlighted links to explore more). Poet Billy Lamont has mastered the art of doing what an old Poet called Charles Wesley encouraged his Methodist Congregation back in the 18th Century to do, letting his "Loosened Tongue Employ".

S4L: How did you first get involved in poetry? Was it something that you were good at school?

Poet Billy: Writing is something that always came natural to me. If I was alone in a room I would write stories or comic strips as a form of playing as a child. I wrote some poems in Elementary School and enjoyed it but wrote my first poem when I was 14 years old as i was sitting in my hometown of Babylon, NY's Catholic Church. I wrote some more poems and rock lyrics following this and then I chose to take Poetry as an elective in High School. From that point on it was mostly all poetry and rock lyrics that I wrote with the exception of a 70 page Science Fiction story I wrote when 17 years old and later a play I wrote at 20 years old during that summer. I took a Poetry class in college and when asked to do a Term Paper on a great Poet I was cocky enough to write it on my own poetry and how I was going to become a great Poet and I had gathered many poems by this point. I feel being naive to a degree helped me invent my own style and by studying more on my own helped me find my own post modern signature style. My love and personal reading of Poetry fueled me and inspired me more than school. Reading Long Island Poet Walt Whitman or Beat Poet Allen Ginsberg and listening to rock poetry like The Beatles, Jim Morrison of The Doors "American Prayer" or Patti Smith's "Easter" Bob Dylan "Bring It On Home," of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or the Velvet Underground or Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" was where I was gettng my inspiration and then the lights went on reading HOLY BIBLE and JESUS' parables including the Psalms and Proverbs poetry sections and then it all started to come together while listening to The Alarm and U2 and Midnight Oil and Industrial Music pioneers like Skinny Puppy. It was all street and original and real and true to me- PURE PASSION!!! Heart and mind with a great spirit!!!!!

S4L: Combining Poetry with music in many ways is nothing new (Jim Morrison was doing it back in the 60's and John Cooper Clarke in the late 70's), how did you first get into the idea of adding music to your poetry? Was there any one who you took inspiration from in doing this? Does the music enhance the words of your heart?

Poet Billy: Yes music definitely enhances the words of my heart. When writing or reciting there is always a melody in the poetry to me. A rhythm too even when the rhythm is more ambient. I received lots of inspiration from The Alarm, U2, Patti Smith, Jim Carroll Band, Bob Dylan, The Doors, Pink Floyd, The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Tom Waits, and Nick Cave. When starting out in late 80's I felt so many genius' have put their hand to poetry. What could I possibly contribute. Then I started thinking that what the Beat Poets did with jazz music has been done and couldn't be done better and the same with Bob Dylan with folk and country and blues, and the same with The Doors as an original and the same with Patti Smith and Jim Carroll with Punk and Velvet Underground and Lou Reed with Alternative Music. So I began to experiment with electronic music in late 80's feeling that Industrial Music that was being invented by Skinny Puppy and Frontline Assembly and electronic music by Kraftwerk was a new canvas. So I experimented and recorded with Hendrix-like gutiar or The Cure-like guitar sound with dark Industrial Music with my proverb-like light in my poetry shining through the dark soundscapes. I was like YES, this is something new and original!!!!!! Then I imagined what William Blake would be doing today and came to the conclusion that a spiritual multi-media show would be what he would be writing and performing. So I wrote a 40 minute performance poem with electronic and world music entitled "The Gallery of Light" as my "American Prayer" going into the 21st century.

S4L: When you peform live do you have musicians with you or is it just straight up poetry?

Poet Billy:   My performances take different shapes. It could be spoken word, or with a band, or with a DJ or me reciting to music played from my ipad with performance art and projected film. It could also be any combinations of these things. My poetry takes the form of what I am inspired with and writing at that time and can include other albums, or books from different time periods as well sometimes reinterpreted in a new way. On my latest CD/digital download BEYOND BABYLON my sound morphs all over the place but the album evolves like a book. BEYOND BABYLON is my innovative Dadaist post modern performance poetry with electronic and Americana Pop music. It includes collaborations former Sony Recording Artist and brilliant songwriter Steven Delopoulos of Burlap To Cashmere and legendary Industrial music pioneer and relevant electronic music genius today Blackhouse. There are also collaboration with Em Kruz of upwordspiral including a powerful track "walt whitman america" that includes a recording of Walt Whitman reciting a poem as recorded by Thomas Edison that Em Kruz and I build upon into a bluesey hip hop song with me exhorting America today with lines such as "we need a loving mind, an intelligent heart, LOVE, intelligence of the heart will light your mind."
 I was inventing something new with poetry and Indistrial music in like 1988 as Hip Hop was emerging and RAP Rhythm and poetry was being invented. As Hip Hop artists were using turn tables I was creating electronic keyboards sounds by messing with them much like Hendrix messed with the electric guitar. I remember thinking how do you create better Rap Music than Grandmaster Flash or Public Enemy?

S4L: You have released albums and published books is your approach to them very different?

Poet Billy: I take the same experimental attitude and hopeful SPIRIT to my books and recordings but the medium's are so different too which changes the vibe and approach too. They are both so intimate. Always loved holding a book in my hands and reading it by a fireplace or on the beach or by candle light. There is also something about hearing a Poet recite his poetry since recording that brings out it's meaning with it's phrasing and intimacy.

 
S4L: New York must offer some great material for a poet? Does your city impact you in your writing? I know the Spiritual informs your writing, is that a rare thing for a poet, I have to confess that Milton, Dante, Ginsberg, Kerouac and Blake are probably the only spiritual type poets I am aware of, oh and also the brilliant Bradley Hathaway.

Poet Billy: Yes New York City has the rich and poor and every culture all classing together within a few blocks. If you people watch and listen there are poems and songs waiting to be written every hour. NYC as well as Long Island imaginary are all there in my poetry. In my latest CD BEYOND BABYLON local imaginary from my hometown of Babylon is all over it with soings like "Argyle Park" the local park, "...like marconi" Guilermo Marconi sent the first wireless message from Babylon. The local clock tower that sound from the Presbyterian Church on Main Street is there as well as the first great American Poet Walt Whitman's voice. Whitman was born in Huntington, NY. BEYOND BABYLON was written for my son Zion Lamont about being a single Dad to him (sort of) in Babylon, NY and is based on the Psalm that says, "By the waters of Babylon I wept for Zion" (Psalm 137). I recorded the entire album poetry in one take at a local studio for $50. I was excited and did a video blog at the Babylon docks and explained the Psalm inspiration. One month later when Hurricane Sandy devastated my hometown the poetry which was hope in my own suffering and broken heart took on a greater meaning for the people of my hometown, as I rectied the poetry for them publicly for the first time, prior to the album being released and as I was doing public service like so many people of Babylon and surrounding areas were doing.

  And Yes there is such a great tradition of spirituality in poetry. Dante, T.S. Elliot, Dylan Thomas, Walt Whitman's respect for life, Jack Kerouac's searching On The Road, Allen Ginsberg,William Blake, Charles Bukowski, Patti Smith to Bob Dylan and my beloved friend Daniel Berrigan and so many more! Poetry by nature is spiritual and gives people a voice and also if you have hearing ears an empathy and understanding for different kinds of people of different cultures, subcultures and centuries can be born.

 Poet Billy with Em Kruz of upwardspiral

S4L: Is it right that you were once a lead vocalist for a band? Did you do that prior to getting involved in poetry?


Poet Billy: Yes I was the singer and songwriter for a band Walk On Water that had some success in the Northeast of the U.S. with a music video "A Game Of Chess With Love" and my first nationally syndicated radio appearance on "Religion And Rock" program in 1988. The band was together for 1 year and half the band went it's separate ways just after the first burst of success. I was writing more songs than poetry at that time and the few years prior (sometimes I feel I should give some of those songs from those prior years to an appropriate established artist because it seems like there is a hit or two in there. But I was more interested in recreating the wheel and innovating then and still am now HAH! I began incorporating poetry as an intro into a song in that time period and rehearsals. Then Walk On Water recorded a song "Insecurity" that had sort of poetry verse and then singing chorus sort of like Pet Shop Boys "West End Girls" but different. When first members of Walk On Water left the drummer Jeff Koyyra and I got a guitarist named Billy Poulos to join and Poulos was an experimental guitarist with a college Industrial Music show that took Walk On Water into a more experimental Indstrial Music band that Klayton of later Circle Of Dust fame and now Celldweller got turned on to Industrial Music through and did his first non-heacy metal electronic music/Industrial Music recording with us. A lot of sparks were flying artistically then but it didn"t take any shape. So when Klayton left those new Walk On Water experiments to sign record deal to record Circle Of Dust's first album Billy Poulos and I starting performing some of my poetry pieces set to music at my first poetry reading and when my first chapbook "Eulogy:Flowers For The Living" book came out in 1990.

S4L: You seem to have been at this for many years now, how do you think the scene for poetry has changed in those years, is it a more widely accepted medium of art or is it still more of an underground thing? 


Poet Billy: Yes, I have been at this for quite some time. When I formally started in say 1988 there were't too many Poets around. Some people from the 60's would come to my shows but mostly an alternative music crowd with artists, painters, people into Punk Music or Gothic Music or Industrial Music and so on. For most people I was the only young Poet they had ever met. The live shows, passion and above all timing was with me so this led to my first above ground book of poems "The Gallery Of Light." that finally got released after a few years in 1994. At that time the spoken word scene was emerging in nyc with the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe. I would go there a lot in the Bob Holman days. I loved it and toured with Lollapalooza in '94 with a lot of those poets but still had a different, unique artistic and spiritual vision that kept me on a separate path too. Then in approximately 2000 Bruce George wanted to start Def Poetry Jam HBO Tv series and we spoke on the telephone a few times. It was like he was picking my mind and knew very little about poetry. I was very generous with my knowledge of poetry and ideas about my recent spoken word rock opera but never was offered a slot to perform on the show. It was then I realized this was the moment where hip hop needed to refresh itself and part of that was picking the minds of the street poets. Prior to there was Def Comedy Jam and knowledge of producing tv shows with one microphone so with added knowledge of poetry sparks could fly and they did for many great seasons!!! I was a fan as bringing up my son Zion who was born in 2000. So today in 2015 spoken word has evolved and poetry in Pop Culture where there is an open mic and people trying their hand at poetry in every town in coffee houses, clubs and colleges. Poetry has come a long way in Pop culture consciousness. As far as books, Cd's and poems in magazines it is still an underground scene too. Poetry is usually a labor of love without much money being made by the artists. However Poet Billy Lamont would love to see that change and have his poetry communicate to the masses keeping it's integrity and filling Madison Square Garden!!! Maybe it has already whenever people go to a Bob Dylan or U2 or Bruce Springstein show or Nas or Radiohead show there anyway!!!!!!!

S4L: Music is seen on this blog as a soundtrack to our lives, I'm wondering what 5 songs and five albums have been part of the soundtrack of your life?


Poet Billy: Oh boy don't think I can pick 5...Hold on...Top 20 Soundtracks of my life??? Here goes... 

The Beatles "Let It Be"/Let It Be. 

Pink Floyd- The Wall/We Don"t Need No Education (another Brick In The Wall).

The Rolling Stones- SomeGirls/Shattered.

 Led Zeppelin/ II- /Thank You.

Bruce Springsteen/Born to Run/Jungleland.

David Bowie/The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust/Ziggy Stardust.

Velvet Underground and Nico/I'm Waiting For The Man.

Jim Carroll Band/Catholic Boy/ People Who Died.

The Alarm/Declaration/Blaze Of Glory.

Bob Dylan/Saved/Saved.

U2- Rattle And Hum- (Pride) In The Name Of Love.

Patti Smith- Easter/ Privledge (set me free).

Larry Norman/Only Visiting This Planet/ The Great American Novel.

The Clash/Sandanista/The Magnificent Seven.

Skinny Puppy/Bites And Remission/Assimilate.

Blackhouse/Holy War/ Make A Choice. 

 The Doors/ American Prayer/ American Prayer.

The Cure/Disintegration/Pictures Of You.

Burlap to Cashmere/ Anybody Out There/ Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Midnight Oil/Blue Sky Mining/ Blue Sky Mine.

 Poet Billy with Mike Peters

S4L: What does the future hold for Poet Billy Lamont? I heard you recently got engaged, congratulations. That's more fuel for the poetic fires sorted then! 

Poet Billy: HAHA!!! Yes just got engaged!!! This woman and relationship is FIRE for sure!!!!!!!!! This year has many open doors and holy timing and prosperity for me like so many others!!! I can't talk about too much at the moment but can say some cool and exciting things are coming!!! I am spilling over with inspiration like never before!!!!!!! I would also like to say that when I focus on some inspirations it seems like I get bombarded or someone close to me or in family get bombarded by life and needs my attention. So GOD willing you will be hearing from me a lot and like never before this year and next. I also spent a lot of time on developing a multi-media show for Beyond Babylon and didn"t get to fully actualize that performance or tour or the promotion of this album so would love to do that too. Perhaps videotape the entire show to like the 45 minute "the gallery of light at CBGB's in 1998. It feels like the entire album needs to be a video but I am working on a few new music videos and video promos for the album. I would also like to do a poetry reading publicity event reading the poem I wrote for for Mike Peters of The Alarm's "The Scriptures" recording to help foster peace in The Holy Land as a benefit for Love Hope Strength Organization and those fighting cancer in nyc soon, good Lord willing. Thank you for the opportunity to share some of my art Mr Watson!!! PEACE to you.

S4L: My pleasure Poet Billy. 

 We think that we wore old Poet Billy Lamont out so he's gone to have a rest now!

Keep your eyes open for a Special Postscript to this interview (coming next).