The Playn Jayn - "New" Single from much-missed 80's Psychedelic Popsters to be released by Circle Records

If people ask me which was the best live band I ever saw, I can say at the drop of a hat that The Playn Jayn were definitely one of them. Sadly, the most common response to my answer is "who?" On one hand, it's disappointing that this most special of bands never really "made it" and certainly never received the acclaim they truly deserved. However, on the other hand I can allow myself a wry smile and bask in the knowledge that I was lucky enough to witness The Playn Jayn in their glorious prime. I remember clearly being blown away by the unusual spectacle of two live-wire lead singers and frontmen which added an air of unpredictability to their gigs. The chemistry between Craig Lindsey and Mike Jones and their vocal harmonies were a joy to behold. Behind them, the band featuring Nick Jones on guitars, Erol Suleyman on bass and Clive Francis on the drums were tight, powerful and stripped back, allowing the immense melodies and ringing riffs to shine. They were rooted in the Psychedelic 60's but had that Garage Punk intensity that meant they appealed to a wide cross section of music fans of all the varied underground genres at the time. At the much-missed Hammersmith Clarendon they shared the stage with many diverse bands from The Prisoners and The Adicts to Sunglasses After Dark, The Long Ryders and Twenty Flight Rockers and went down equally well with all of their respective audiences. I can clearly remember one night at the Lyceum where they played with Lords of The New Church and Wall of Voodoo and that still remains one of my favourite all-time gigs to this day.

But I suppose The Playn Jayn will forever be associated with the Marquee, mainly due to their classic 1984 debut album "Friday The 13th at The Marquee Club" which was released by the major label A&M, who took the unusual step of releasing a live album for the band's debut. Unusual yes, but actually this was a smart move as the brilliant production by Vic Maille captured all the band's live energy perfectly - very rare with official live releases. It also meant that the album sounds immense today, fresh and exciting, bursting from the speakers and completely free of all the terrible studio gimmicks and over production of the early to mid-80's that ruined so many great records of the time. This was unfortunately to come next, as the follow up studio album "Five Good Evils" disappointed me after the raw excellence of "Friday The 13th" and I felt that the songs were half-buried under a weak production. A&M obviously didn't have a clue what to do with the band and the album was put out on their "Indie" subsidiary ABC records. 

They released a couple of singles including the excellent "Juliette" but the band sadly called it a day not long after. The Jones brothers continuing as The Jayn and Erol joined The Jazz Butcher. Mike then sang with The Other Side but by the early 90's all of the members had pretty much disappeared from the music scene. They never resurfaced, there was certainly no reunion and then the terribly sad news filtered through a few years ago that Craig had passed away. For a band that blazed such a short lived trail they certainly made a significant impact on those of us lucky enough to have seen them play live - or even those who had just heard the records. The memory of the band has been kept going by the enthusiasm of fans such as Desmond Behan and Julian Leusby and those at the Playn Jayn fan's group on Facebook, which can be found here. 

But the good news is that long-standing devotion has now been rewarded as Peter Wild at Circle Records has pulled off a remarkable coup by releasing this gem of a 'new' single that will not only be welcomed with open arms by existing fans but will also prove to new listeners just what a special band The Playn Jayn were. The 7" vinyl single will be released on 16th September as a limited edition of 375 individually hand-numbered copies and contains two previously unreleased songs by the group, the last recordings they ever made. There's usually a reason why songs remain unreleased and that is they are generally not good enough, so it's very rare that these two tracks from 37 years ago could well be among the finest the band have recorded and I was blown away by the quality of the songs and the sound of the single. So, a bit of background to the single from Circle Records - The Playn Jayn went into RMS studios in London with producer Andy Le Vien in April 1985 and recorded  two songs for a possible single to hopefully drum up interest following their departure from A&M. They chose the regular show-opener "Cardinal Charlotte's Memorial School" and the slightly newer "It's Not Me". Unreleased after 37 years, rescued by Desmond Behan and mixed by Satch Norton who did live engineering and studio work for the band including the "Friday The 13th" album and the rare white label 7" single "Chamber Door". There's more good news, Circle Records are also looking into the possibility of compiling a selection of rare demos and live recordings for future release, it's not sure yet on which format this will be so I'd recommend subscribing to Circle Records on their social media for updates. Of course, we'll also keep you informed as soon as we have news. To enquire about the new single, please message Circle Records for more information on how to order or check for updates at their eBay page. Otherwise why not drop by and say hello at the Playn Jayn Facebook group here.

Don Craine Tribute at The Half Moon Putney with Downliners Sect, The Masonics and The Fallen Leaves, August 21st 2022

What a fantastic turnout on Sunday afternoon for the special matinee tribute show to Don Craine, the Deerstalker wearing R'n'B guitar legend of Downliners Sect who sadly passed away earlier this year. The occasion was also used to pay tribute to former Downliners guitarist Del Dwyer and large posters of the two hung on the backdrop, which was a nice touch. The fundraiser and celebration was really well organised by Rob Green and Ron Symmons of The Fallen Leaves to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and included not only, three top bands but also a charity auction which included some tasty signed records, books and white label test pressings from Spinout Nuggets, Billy Childish, Damaged Goods and Ace Records. There were also signed books by artist Jamie Reid and a superb package from the Eel Pie Island Museum, which is a must visit if you are in Twickenham. Rob Green acted as Auctioneer with a nice line in quips, a drumstick as a gavel and a snare drum to bash once the items had been sold. The good news was that all the items presented were sold and I'm sure that well over £1,000 must have been raised from the auction itself. 

It was great to be back at The Half Moon again, scene of most of my Retro Man Blog Nights over the years and I had to remember that it wasn't my gig so I couldn't go backstage and help myself to the rider! The Fallen Leaves opened proceedings with "Begin Again" and slammed through a short and sharp set peppered with some promising sounding new songs such as "Rosalina" and "Worried Well" from their forthcoming new LP. I haven't seen The Leaves since before lockdown and they were even better than ever - former Subway Sect guitarist Rob Symmons unique blistering style leaves people standing there in awe and frontman Rob Green's idiosyncratic performance and impressive croon is always a joy. Drummer Buddy Ascott, who you can often hear as my co-host at Retrosonic Podcast  crams all his years of experience from his time in The Chords, The Moment, Speakeasy and many other bands to sublime effect in The Fallen Leaves. His John Maher-style fills and sharp, tight rolls add a dynamism to the Leaves sound. His rhythm section partner Gaz on bass leaps around the stage like Dee Dee Ramone, adding an air of unpredictability and a nice contrast to the two Rob's more studied approach. The band will be playing at the Dublin Castle in Camden on September 10th so if you're free, please go along and you'll see one of the best live acts around. 

Next up were The Masonics who never fail to entertain with their raw Medway Delta R'n'B and Beat and they didn't disappoint today with their catchy, danceable numbers. Like The Fallen Leaves, the band were good friends with Don and Downliners Sect and they regularly shared stages together. Of course, drummer Bruce Brand was also once in Thee Headcoats Sect with his Milkshakes and Pop Rivets colleague, Billy Childish along with Don and Keith from Downliners Sect so there's a lot of shared history between them all. The Masonics were joined by Ludella Black for a superb run through of "Why Don't You Smile Now" and they left everyone smiling and thoroughly satisfied. 

Downliners Sect closed the afternoon with a rollicking set of good time R'n'B featuring founder member Keith Grant on bass and vocals and you can only wonder why the band never quite achieved the fame of their early contemporaries, after all Rod Stewart and Steve Marriott once wanted to join them! So, a poignant but nevertheless thoroughly entertaining afternoon that will live long in the memory, in fact I wonder if it might become a regular occurrence? Anyway, well done to Rob Symmons and Rob Green and all involved in making it such a special event. You can hear Rob Green and Buddy Ascott of The Fallen Leaves talking to me about the background and preparations for the show in Episode 48 of Retrosonic Podcast which also includes an exclusive Headcoats Sect track and is available for free on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts or from Soundcloud below: 

Retrosonic Podcast · Episode 48 "Why Don't You Smile Now?" with special guests Buddy Ascott & Rob Green

Please click the highlighted Links throughout the feature for more information. There are more videos of the show available at the Retro Man Blog YouTube channel here.

Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band at St. Pancras Old Church London August 17th 2022

This was the third time to see Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band in London this year and each show couldn’t have been more different yet all were equally as memorable. First of all, back in May we squeezed ourselves into the tiny packed out basement bar of the Heavenly Social where only drummer Phil and guitarist Nat accompanied Mick. After this show, the crowd filed out of the venue and followed Mick to a nearby pub to watch Liverpool in the Champions League Final. Then in June we went along to the superb 2,000 capacity Shepherds Bush Empire where we were treated to a full-on eight-piece Red Elastic Band line-up including brass, woodwind and cello to hear the songs from  the new album “Dear Scott” in all their glory. Then it’s another change of direction for tonight’s intimate show at the St. Pancras Old Church, the grounds of which were used as a photo shoot location by those other Scouse musical legends The Beatles during their 1968 “Mad Day Out” jaunt around London. The grounds and the church itself are stunning and we’ve got front row seats although I was a bit disappointed to find out they weren’t pews though. It’s as though Mick and the band are right there in your front room, well that is if your front room just happens to be a chapel that pre-dates the Norman Conquest of course. It really is a beautiful setting and Mick seems taken aback “I know we’re standing on gravestones but I’m sure it’ll be OK” he says, the stained glass window above the altar behind him adds a suitably ecclesiastical backdrop. 

It’s great that Mick doesn’t just follow the routines of the traditional touring circuit, it’s as if he’s determined that each gig be treated as a very special one-off event, something to be treasured and remembered. The flexibility that he has carved out for himself since Shack’s indefinite hiatus is admirable, he’s working on his own terms so seems to be able to escape the pitfalls, pressures and clichés of the corporate music industry and that’s such a rare commodity these days. Tonight’s line-up of The Red Elastic Band features Nathaniel Cummings on guitar, Tom Powell on bass, Phil Murphy on drums and Martin Smith on trumpet, but unfortunately guitarist Danny Murphy is missing as he’s currently on tour with Jamie Webster. The band kick off with “Gino & Rico” from the new album "Dear Scott" and the sound is surprisingly excellent – I say surprising, as Church’s tend to work best for acoustic or orchestral performances but rarely for a full-on Rock band. However, tonight it really works and the impressive acoustics really highlight the nuances of Mick’s intricate songs. I do notice that Phil has dampened his snare drum with what looks like a tea towel but otherwise, the band put as much into the performance as if they were on the stage of a large traditional Rock venue. Tonight’s set consists of a dip into most aspects of Mick’s musical career post-Pale Fountains so we get “Undecided” from “Waterpistol”, the always emotional “Comedy” and a blistering “Pull Together” both from “H.M.S. Fable”. “As Long As I’ve Got You” is the choice from “Here’s Tom With The Weather” and then there’s the superb “Something Like You” from “The Magical World of The Strands”.

The now classic “Newby Street” from The Red Elastic Band’s debut E.P. “Artorius Revisited” raises the tempo and temperature with Martin blasting out that insistent trumpet riff. Then of course, there’s a large chunk of the current critically acclaimed Bill Ryder-Jones produced album “Dear Scott” which has raised Mick’s profile to heights not experienced since the peak-Shack era of the late 90’s/early 2000’s. In fact, as much as I love Shack and in particular John Head’s guitar work, I don’t find myself longing for a reunion anymore as the quality of the new songs and the excellent chemistry between Mick and the Red Elastic Band members certainly stops you getting all nostalgic. Rather like Ebbot Lundberg did when The Soundtrack of Our Lives split up, Mick has surrounded himself with super-talented younger musicians who don’t only do justice to familiar classic songs but they manage to inject their own personalities and styles into the music. Interesting that both front men decided to cherry pick the nucleus of already established bands, Ebbot from the Stockholm based Side Effects to form The Indigo Children and Mick took from The Peach Fuzz, augmenting them with other musicians to suit. They both seem to understand that the dynamic and chemistry of a band works far better than any bunch of assembled faceless session musicians will ever do and The Red Elastic Band embody this, all have their own characters which really helps them connect with the fans. Phil is a really great drummer, navigating the twists and turns and sudden tempo changes of Mick's songs perfectly. When he's not playing trumpet Martin spends his time dancing away in the background and in front of him, bassist Tom Powell grooves away, long hair swaying around him as he immerses himself in the music. Guitarist Nat is a bit of a star, after all he is the frontman of The Peach Fuzz and his guitar playing is superb, especially tonight as he has to cover for the absence of Danny. It can't have been easy for both of them having to follow in the footsteps of John Head but they have both excelled. Not only are they all great musicians but they are great guys too as was proven by their concerns over the health of one of their biggest fans Ann. In fact, Mick dedicates a song to her tonight and the band make sure they all sign a set-list to present to her at the next opportunity, it’s such a nice touch of class. 

There are too many highlights to mention, but the vocal version of “Shirl’s Ghost” is truly beautiful and it’s strange that they only included a short instrumental take to close “Dear Scott”, it’s almost as though that was put there as a tantalizing trailer for the next album. New song “The Human Race” is a cracker, it’s more of a powerful straight-ahead rocker than the material on “Dear Scott” and Nat’s guitar work is immense. As the song builds to a climax, Mick drops to his knees thrashing away on his acoustic guitar hunched over and as the song finishes he realizes he’s kneeling on a gravestone and I catch him put his fingers to his lips and blow a kiss in way of respectful apology. It’s this church thing, it seems to be making everyone come over all saintly. However, Mick just can’t stop swearing and each time an expletive escapes he cringes and says “sorry” as if a big bolt of lightning is going to flash from above and strike him down. “I blame my Ma,” he says, “She was always swearing” and then corrects himself, “sorry Ma” with a glance to the heavens. The set closer “Meant To Be” is almost like a cathartic experience when  the crowd take over the main riff singing along and turning it into something akin to a football chant. Mick even joins in as he and the band take a bow and lap up the well-deserved applause. They are called back for an encore and we get the excellent “Stranger” from “Waterpistol”, but then it’s all over sadly despite the calls for more. So, another memorable night in the magical world of Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band and I'm already looking forward to the next adventure.

Special mention for tonight’s support act, the engaging Harry Tonks who went down really well with the crowd and was a perfect choice to get us in the mood for Mick. Harry was joined on stage by Mick’s sister Joanne for a cover of The Civil War’s “20 Years” and his own “Community Church” before which Harry commented that he’d always wanted to play the song in a church. Anyone who has seen Joanne sing "Daniella" with Mick at recent shows will know she has a wonderful voice and her appearance was a real highlight. Harry introduced a new song “Middle of The Night” with self-deprecating humour, saying it was a difficult one to play and he wondered why he always made things difficult for himself. Indeed the intricate guitar work was pretty mind (and finger) bending and it reminded me of none other than The Strands. Harry has some excellent songs and a great voice, free of the gimmicks and affectations of many modern day singer songwriters and I look forward to hearing more from him in the future. 

Harry Tonks at St. Pancras Old Church

The Red Elastic Band - Martin, Nat, Phil and Tom

For more information on Micheal Head & The Red Elastic Band please check out their official website here. You can find out more about Harry Tonks here and you can see more videos of the show at our Retro Man Blog YouTube channel here.

Retrosonic Podcast Special with Suzi Moon

In our latest interview special we catch up with Suzi Moon following her show at Bannerman's in Edinburgh and welcome her into the virtual Retrosonic Podcast studio for a thoroughly enjoyable jaunt through her career as a musician and life as a music fan. We talk about her love of the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, where she was soon to appear, and her affinity with European and U.K audiences. Suzi then takes us on an entertaining journey from her upbringing in Southern California and the influence of her older sister on Suzi becoming a musician, inviting her to join her band Civet and encouraging her to write songs of her own. Then there's Turbulent Hearts and the short-lived project L.A. Machina before Suzi finally embarks on her own solo career with the release of the excellent and well-received E.P. "Call The Shots". Suzi picks her own favourites from all aspects of her career right up to the brand new single from the hotly anticipated debut album "Dumb & In Luv" which is available to pre-order from Pirates Press Records now. Among many and various topics we also discuss her songwriting process, the connection between her mum and Alternative Tentacles Records, the New York CBGB's scene and much more. Suzi also plays some of the records that introduced her to Punk Rock and helped shape her own music along with some inspirational bands and people that have supported her along the way. The episode is soundtracked by great tracks from The Hives, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Stooges, The Heartbreakers, Nazi Bitch & The Jews, Teenage Bottlerocket, Minatore and Against Me! You can subscribe to Retrosonic Podcast for free at Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts or direct from our SoundCloud site below:

Retrosonic Podcast · Suzi Moon

Tracklisting (please click the highlighted links for further information)

Suzi Moon "Sonic Attraction"

The Hives "Main Offender"

Elvis Costello & The Attractions "No Action"

Iggy & The Stooges "I Wanna Be Your Dog"

The Heartbreakers "Pirate Love"

Civet "Take Me Away"

Turbulent Hearts "The Runaround"

L.A. Machina "Go!"

Nazi Bitch & The Jews "Dead Porker"

Suzi Moon "Special Place In Hell"

Suzi Moon "Gold Record Autograph"

Teenage Bottlerocket "Bigger Than Kiss"

Minatore "The Hour"

Suzi Moon "I'm Not A Man"

Against Me! "1203"

Suzi Moon "Dumb & In Luv"

For more info on Suzi Moon, please check out her official web-site here or her Facebook page here. U.K. and European fans can pre-order the forthcoming album "Dumb & In Luv" here and US and worldwide fans can get the record from Pirates Press Records. With sincere thanks to Suzi.

Retrosonic Podcast Episode 49 "A Tonic For The Soul" - 21 Song New Release Special with Graham Day, Giuda, The Coolies, Cyanide Pills and Much More...

Steve from Retro Man Blog picks out 21 of the best new Garage Rock, Psych, Indie, Power Pop and Punk releases from as far apart as the U.K., Canada, Sweden, Italy, USA, Japan and the Medway Delta! Includes spotlights on some of our favourite record labels Spinout Nuggets, Chaputa, Beluga and Damaged Goods and the episode is packed with killer tracks from former Prisoners frontman Graham Day's debut solo album, The Coolies featuring special guests Clem Burke from Blondie and Kathy Valentine from The Go-Go's and an unreleased song from Les Envahisseurs. Then there's Mimi & The Miseries, The Sound Station, Los Pepes, Deviation Days, Smalltown Tigers, Giuda, The Mourning After, The Sellwoods, The Speedways, Thee Escapees, K.S. & The Mystery Jet Set, Kurt Shirt, Dirt Royal, Cyanide Pills, Thee Moot, Cat & The Underdogs, Thee Strawberry Mynde and a sublime song from Paper Lips, the new solo project by Mike Whittaker of The Baron Four and The Jack Cades. Please support these fantastic bands, artists and record labels so do check out the highlighted links below for further information on how you can buy all this wonderful music. You can subscribe to Retrosonic Podcast for free at Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and SoundCloud and you can stream and download direct from the SoundCloud archive below:

Retrosonic Podcast · Episode 49 "A Tonic For The Soul"

Track-listing & Links

Graham Day - A Rose Thorn Sticking In Your Mind's Eye

Mimi & The Miseries - Security

Thee Moot - Tonic For The Soul

Paper Lips - Monday Morning

Les Envahisseurs - Back 266

Thee Escapees - Lose Your Head

Thee Strawberry Mynde - Try As I Might

Cyanide Pills - The Kids Can't Be Trusted With Rock 'n' Roll

Los Pepes - Never Get It Right

The Sellwoods - Searchin'

The Sound Station - Wild One

The Coolies - King of Confusion

The Mourning After - She Left Me Today

Kurt Shirt - Imaginary Friend

Dirt Royal - Shoot Me Now

K.S. & The Mystery Jet Set - Downtime

Cat & The Underdogs - Rich Kids

Deviation Days - Well of Trouble

Smalltown Tigers - Just Friends

The Speedways - Shoulda Known

Giuda - Roll On (live)

With thanks to Lee at Spinout Nuggets, Ian at Damaged Goods, Esgar at Chaputa Records, Melissa from The Sellwoods, Trevor at Beluga Records, Ake from Cat & The Underdogs and Hans Selander.

Retrosonic Podcast Episode 48 "Why Don't You Smile Now?" with Special Guests Buddy Ascott & Rob Green of The Fallen Leaves. Features Exclusive New Unreleased Song by Thee Headcoats Sect

Steve from Retro Man Blog welcomes special guests Buddy Ascott and Rob Green from The Fallen Leaves into the studio to discuss their upcoming tribute and fundraising show in the memory of Deerstalker hat wearing guitar legend, Don Craine of Downliners Sect at The Half Moon Putney on Sunday August 21st. To help raise awareness of this very special event, Damaged Goods Records have very kindly granted us an exclusive unreleased new song by Thee Headcoats Sect featuring Billy Childish, Bruce Brand and original Downliners Sect band member Keith Grant. This episode also features news of Buddy's recent recording sessions with Speakeasy, The 79'ers and The Fallen Leaves and another charity show with Vox Pop. Steve chats about some of the gigs he's attended since the last episode including Baby Shakes at the Pump It Up Power Pop Weekender and The Undertones at the Camden Electric Ballroom where we also praise the merits of vocalist Paul McLoone. Then there's the stunning performance by Love Revisited with Johnny Echols at the Garage and The Gruesomes first ever U.K. show at Weirdsville. Steve also talks about his visit to Spinroad Vinyl Factory studio and pressing plant in Sweden and the problems for small bands and labels getting their vinyl pressed. There's music from The Masonics, The Undertones, Downliners Sect, Baby Shakes, Vox Pop, The 79'ers, Love, The Gruesomes, The Fallen Leaves and of course, that very special Thee Headcoats Sect exclusive! You can subscribe to Retrosonic Podcast for free at Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts or direct from our SoundCloud site below:

Retrosonic Podcast · Episode 48 "Why Don't You Smile Now?" with special guests Buddy Ascott & Rob Green

For tickets to the Don Craine Tribute Show at The Half Moon Putney on Sunday August 21st, please contact the venue at this link. Tickets and info for the Sound of Woking event can be found here. Here's the full track-listing to this episode, please click on the highlighted links for further information on the featured bands and how you can purchase their music.

The 79'ers "Maybe Tomorrow" (Live)

Vox Pop "Cor Blimey"

The Undertones "Dig Yourself Deep"

Baby Shakes "Really, Really"

The Gruesomes "Stop It, Girl"

Downliners Sect "Why Don't You Smile Now"

Thee Headcoats Sect "The Baker Street Irregulars" EXCLUSIVE NEW SONG

The Masonics "When You Cry At Night"

The Fallen Leaves "Green Eyes F.C."

Love "She Comes In Colours"

With sincere thanks to Buddy, Rob Green, Rob Symmonds and Ian at Damaged Goods Records. 

Podcover star: Amy K-B.

Bob Gruen & Leee Black Childers "Legendary Moments" Photo Exhibition at D'Stassi Art Gallery

Last night we went along to the D’Stassi Art Gallery in Hoxton, East London to check out the excellent new “Legendary Moments” exhibition which collates a mightily impressive collection of iconic musical images by Bob Gruen and Leee Black Childers. The exhibition is curated by Stephen Colegrave, the author of the superb “Punk!” book and Smutty Smith, the bass player with Levi & The Rockats who Childers discovered and managed. Smutty and Bob Gruen were both in attendance and were happy to chat about the various photos on display and give short presentations about the exhibition. Bob was also signing copies of the exhibition catalogue and other books of his including the autobiography “Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer”. The attendees included members of Oh! Gunquit, The WitchDoktors, The Phobics, The Cannibals, Das Clamps along with Punk memorabilia collectors John Brett and Gary Loveridge and Neal X from Sigue Sigue Sputnik amongst others. The Exhibition runs until August 19^th 5:30pm-8pm at D’Stassi Art Gallery, 12/18 Hoxton Street (Access Via Drysdale Street) N1 6NG. Here’s more information from the D’Stassi web-site and then following that is a selection of my photos of the exhibition. Thank you to Michael Howes and Edward Sanders from D’Stassi for permission to photograph the evening.

Bob Gruen has flown over from New York to be part of his first major exhibition in the UK since 2014. Probably the best-known rock photographer of the 1970s who is still photographing bands today, his work spans Tina Turner to the Sex Pistols to John Lennon to Green Flag. As chief photographer for Rock Scene Magazine in the 1970s he captured behind the scenes moments of all the greatest rockstars of the time. This is a rare opportunity to meet Bob and get him to sign one of his books that will be on sale as well as his photos and ask him about the stories behind the pictures. Bob will be accompanied by Smutty Smith who knew Leee Black Childers, whose pictures are also part of the exhibition. Smutty was bass player for Levi and the Rockats which was managed by Leee. Smutty now manages the Leee Black Childers Estate for Leee’s brother Henry. He went to Texas and found the previously unseen negatives a selection of which are an important part of this exhibition. Every picture in the exhibition has its own unique story. Smutty and Bob can tell you the inside story and the secrets about the people who are depicted in these iconic shots. About a time when Rock Stars were free from social media and could be larger than life.

All Photos by Retro Man Blog - original material by Bob Gruen & Leee Black Childers.