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ROCK AND ROLL MAGAZINE REVIEW! UGLY THINGS #47 (available here)

I know that it does seem kinda stroon-ish (well, at least to me it does!) to be reviewing the latest issue of UGLY THINGS a mere week after being in possession of a copy. After all, these mags are what I would call JAMBUS-PACKTUS with loads of pertinent rock 'n roll information you just can't get outta some aerie faerie blog out there in the internet ether. Well, maybe my blog and hardly anyone else's, but still these mags are one huge hunkerin' mass o' information, energy and downright FUN all presented in a little neat package for one to ooze and peruse for years after the fact (I should know!) and while other mags of the same "strata" wallow and rehash or just present that rock sound as another cause-laden hippie concern UGLY THINGS deals the real!

The new ish is really no great exception to the high quality and outright zoom to be found in the others. The late Fred Cole gets the royal funeral treatment with a reprint of the Greg Prevost interview that was originally found in FUTURE #5 (the last issue of that much-missed missive) while he gets to present us with another interview featuring the second (and best) Marilyn Munster, mainly Pat Priest! Of course there's more to life than Prevost (though some might doubt it), so we're also privy to some good pieces on everything from pre-teen rockers the Little Bits (more of that kiddie-rock hype a la Gary and the Hornets or Tony and the Tigers, and probably just as good as 'em too an' I mean it!), the Bougalieu of some old BOULDERS album fame and (naturally) much much MORE!!! Actually one of the articles here that had me going was on the Hungarian group Omega, an act who most Amerigans remember for their mid-seventies rather progressive rock album of feh quality (despite it being produced by krautrock fave Dieter Dierks) but who, at least judging from this article, began life as an early-sixties instro-rock-styled aggregation which does sorta redeem 'em, at least in part.

What naturally draws me to each and every UGLY THING has just gotta be the reviews. And Saint's Preserve (or at least Saint's Jam or Jelly), but there are actually quite a few offerings here that I would gladly part with my hard-begged for, such as the Yardbirds Anderson Theater repackaging (the accompanying article by Will Shade really did that for me!), not to mention the appearance of a 1969 live reunion album by the Remains and maybe even that 45th anniversary remake/remodel of the first Roxy Music album (tho frankly I think I'll hold out for the FIFTIETH anniversary edition!). Better save my grickels for these items, or better yet hold out until I can get them at bargain basement prices long after they've become obsolete due to new technological triumphs.

One beef with this ish...the likes of Bill Shute and the rest of the reg'lar fellers appear true, but what the heck happened to JYMN PARRETT, a man whose opines I most greatly respect???? Hope he can be wrangled in for the next issue, and like soon!

As usual, this magazine is a must to read. Get it and settle down for an evening of fun perusal, of course after you've already read all my stuff that is!