R.I.P. visual artist Yayoi Kusama, 1929-2026

Sadly, visual artist Yayoi Kusama – Japan's Queen of Polka Dots – has passed away at the age of 97. She'll be greatly missed. 

Remembering Ronnie Splinter of The Outsiders on his birthday

Raising a glass to my old pal Ronnie Splinter on his birthday, shown here with Wally Tax, rehearsing on their new guitars at home.

Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders releasing new album I'll Dream Alone in October!

Rock 'n' roll flame-keepers Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders unleash their latest studio album I'll Dream Alone on October 2nd via Hound Gawd! Records. 

Here's the scoop from Hound Gawd! Records...

Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders were formed in 2004 after Pat put an end to The Lazy Cowgirls (1983 to 2004). The Rankoutsiders have over 30 releases to their name, with a new album, I’LL DREAM ALONE, coming out on October 2nd before their month-long European tour starting also in October 2026. For more info, check their site: https://linktr.ee/Rankoutsiders

With this new release, Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders encapsulate 100 years of Rock’n’roll, Punk, Blues, Country & Folk traditions - sometimes within the same song! Poetic yet realistic, and straight to the point in a gritty and artistic way - all wrapped up in a high-energy Rock’n’Roll Presentation! Miss this band live at your own peril. 

Led by Pat Todd, the RANKOUTSIDERS are truly a band: energetically flanking Todd stage left is long-time guitarist and vocalist Kevin Keller; to the right is guitarist and founding member, Nick Alexander- the cool, calm and collected eye of the storm; bassist Steven Vigh holds the lower frequencies in check, pushing choruses to the next harmonic level, while drummer Dan Whitmore drives the engine, keeping the band on the rails. Album artwork by Hollywood Guthrie. 

Pre-order a limited-edition colour vinyl version of Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders' new album I'll Dream Alone directly from Hound Gawd! Records right here. Listen to "Desire Left Town" and watch a couple of live clips below. 

That time Scott Walker crooned the theme song for a spaghetti western flick

Up for a challenge, Scott Walker cut "The Rope and The Colt" for Robert Hossein's 1969 western Cemetery Without Crosses co-written with Dario Argento!  

Limiñanas have just postponed their North American tour

Due to undisclosed "health issues," The Limiñanas' October tour has been cancelled with dates rescheduled for May 2027.  

Here's the scoop...

We are sorry to announce that due to health issues we will not be able to perform our North American Tour scheduled in October and November 2026. 

Good news ! The whole tour is postponed to May 2027 : ALL TICKETS REMAIN VALID, except for the Queretaro show (MX) where all tickets will be refunded. For further assistance please contact your local promoter. 

Thank you for your understanding and for all your messages of support. 

We look forward to seeing you again very soon.

The Limiñanas

Get Alongs, Thee Terrible Threes, DJ Tim Hanna @ Houndstooth, Wednesday

Between poundin' garage sets by the Get Alongs and Thee Terrible Threes at Houndstooth, DJ Tim Hanna will keep things swingin' like a Singapore go-go bar.  

DJ Tim Hanna will get things underway like this at Houndstooth (818 College) starting at around 8:30 pm. Watch this. 

Limited-run Marshall Crenshaw compilation The Bootleg Sounds reissued in October

Yep Roc is recirculating their limited-edition RSD vinyl release The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw on October 23. 

Here's the scoop:

Originally released by Yep Roc on brown vinyl for Record Store Day back in April, the 15-track Marshall Crenshaw archival compilation, The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw: 1984-1987, is being re-released by Yep on black vinyl on October 23rd. 

Marshall dug through his vast archives and assembled a collection of previously unreleased recordings, demos and live songs, including a cover of Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day,” featuring Garry Tallent and Max Weinberg, "The Blues Is King" recorded with Let's Active's Faye Hunter and Mitch Easter, and a Marshall-ized update of an overlooked Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps gem "Right Now,"  

One particularly cool artifact included here is a demo snippet featuring vocals by Kirsty McColl. Marshall had been working on a demo for the song, “(We’re Gonna) Shake Up Their Minds,” but had hit a block in writing it. According to Marshall, “ At one point when I was struggling to write it, I sent the backing tracks to Kirsty MacColl to see what might happen. She wrote her own song (‘All I Ever Wanted’) over the tracks; it wound up on one of her albums (and a UK single too, but not one of her hits unfortunately). I’m presenting this the way I found it on the tape reel- my demo, followed by the last bit of her demo, which I accidentally recorded over. 

The Bootleg Sounds LP provides a rare glimpse into an artist’s songwriting and recording process, as well as featuring some very fine recordings finally seeing the light of day.

The limited edition Record Store Day 2026 LP only release is now available on CD, and back in print, this time on black vinyl. Get a copy of The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw: 1984-1987 is available for pre-order via Bandcamp right here or use Marshall's own pre-order link. Just don't waste your time trying to get it fromYep Roc, they haven't updated their site in months. Check out the track list followed by an interview with Marshall along with a couple of live clips from a 1985 performance at The Ritz in New York below.  

The Bootleg Sounds of Marshall Crenshaw: 1984-1987

A1 They Will Never Know

A2 (We're Gonna) Shake Up Their Minds

A3 All I Ever Wanted (Excerpt)

A4 That'll Be The Day

A5 Little Wild One (No. 1) (TV Track)

A6 The Distance Between

A7 Blues Is King (TV Track)

B1 Right Now

B2 Vocal Test

B3 Town Without Pity

B4 Terrifying Karaoke

B5 Synsonics Go Berzerko!

B6 Reet Petite (Live)

B7 Try (Live)

B8 This Is Easy (Live)