just had my first hip replacement with another of those and another new shoulder on tbe horizon. but i am hoping to be able to navigate well enough again in a couple of weeks that i can re-start the sharing of my biased views on underground culture. don't say i didn't warn you.

i realize i've been lax as hell with recommendations for the past 18 months, but i am hoping to get back to it soon. the 15 month sale of steve albini's stuff turned out to be a 50-60 hour a week job & more draining than expected. and my health declined a bunch during the same period.

excellent piece from the times on robbie basho, as part of their "overlooked" series. no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/o...

RIP ABDULLAH IBRAHIM no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/a...

very bummed to learn that the great STEVE ALMAAS has left the planet. my love for his band, the suicide commandos, began the moment i heard them live in '75 & never slacked. steve's many later nyc projects were all pretty swank as well. he will be sorely missed www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnCr...

RIP SONNY ROLLINS let us all take a moment and spin "east broadway rundown" or "our man in jazz." no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/a...

RIP VALERIE EXPORT no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/a...

RIP BEVERLEY MARTYN a figure who fascinated me ever since i saw her beat bouffant on the cover of bert jansch's "it don't bother me." she survived her husband's savagery & made some wonderful music before, during & after years of abuse, www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/o...

RIP FRANK STACK (AKA FOOLBERT STURGEON) one of the inventors of underground comix & a very funny guy no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/b...

this sunday, may 19 at 5 PM PAUL FLAHERTY OWEN MANURE live at feeding tube records 221 pine street #141 florence ma

LAST DAY TO SHOP AT STEVE ALBINI'S CLOSET. WE WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN SALES AT 4:30 PM (EASTERN) ON FRIDAY MAY 8 www.stevealbiniscloset.com/stuff

RIP GEORGE HERMS no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/a...

RIP STEPHANIE CHERNIKOWSKI she was a great photographer and a really fun person to hang out with. always enoyed wandering around manhattan with her back in the ny rocker days. and what a great eye she had! bummer. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/a...

RIP DAVID ALLEN COE no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/a...

down to the last two active weeks selling Steve Albini's recs, bks, posters, etc. there's still lotsa great/oddball stuff on offer & an auction for nirvana's gold disc. check it out www.stevealbiniscloset.com

RIP DAVE MASON never really followed him too deeply into his solo career, but his early work with traffic was my first real taste of UK psych. www.youtube.com/watch?v=REzz...

new drop noon today at steve albini's closet. more test pressings than usual this week & the nirvana auction continues. just a couple weeks 'til things wrap up. so don't sit on those hands. use them wisely! www.stevealbiniscloset.com/stuff

RIP HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE although i was eventually deemed "a negative influence on campus life," hampshire was the first place i ever felt as though i wasn't from an entirely different planet. studying video art, kitsch & the arcology of paolo soleri did my soul good. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/u...

down to the last active weeks selling Steve Albini's rec, bks, posters, etc. 1 year. preceded by 3 months of organizing. an interesting, all-consuming way to spend 15 months. there's still lotsa great/oddball stuff left & an auction for nirvana's gold disc. check it out www.stevealbiniscloset.com

A new auction just went up for Steve Albini’s copy of the gold disc for NIRVANA’s “In Utero”. www.stevealbiniscloset.com/auction

good one. no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/04/05/s...

nice piece on phil ochs, who died 50 years ago. i still play his albums while i'm cooking. perhaps you should too. www.dailykos.com/stories/2026...

RIP BETTINA KOSTER one of the great inventors of Berlin's post-punk underground scene is gone. no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/a...

ace nyt piece on new collage work by lucy sante, one of the great chroniclers of nyc since the no wave days no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/a...

A new auction just went up for Steve’s copy of BIG BLACK’S “BULLDOZER” (METAL BOX EDITION) LP. Please inform any Albini fans you know about this sweet piece. The auction runs until 4:30 PM (eastern) Monday March 30, 2026. www.stevealbiniscloset.com/auction

shockingly good piece on the minutemen from the nyt. no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/a...

A new auction just went up for Steve’s copy of BIG BLACK’S “BULLDOZER” (METAL BOX EDITION) LP. Please inform any Albini fans you know about this sweet piece. The auction runs until 4:30 PM (eastern) Monday March 30, 2026. www.stevealbiniscloset.com/auction

RIP AUGIE MEYERS although his organ tone was abused by lots of less talented musicians, the sound he created for "she's about a mover" with the sir douglas quintet was always classic when it came out of augie's own vox. no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/03/23/a...

nice nyt overview of paul thomas anderson's films, reminds me how much i love this guy's work. sadly, they don't mention the huge influence robert downey sr. had on thomas's style, but you can watch every one of his features in less than 24 hours. do it! no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/m...

REST IN HELL CHUCK NORRIS the subject of my first published book has shat the bed & we should all say, "good riddance." what a fucking right wing duck he was. no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/m...

auction closes tomorrow for Steve’s copy of the BFI silver disc award, for Jimmy Page & Robert Plant’s Walking to Clarkdale LP. Please pass word to any Zep fans you know about this sweet piece. www.stevealbiniscloset.com/auction

solid nyt piece on P-FUNK'S MOTHERSHIP. no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/a...

A new auction just went up for Steve’s copy of the BFI silver disc award, presented for sales of Jimmy Page & Robert Plant’s Walking to Clarkdale LP. Please pass word to any Zep fans you know about this sweet piece. www.stevealbiniscloset.com/auction

jello biafra has a stroke? dang. he has never been my favorite singer, but i did vote for him for sf mayor back in '79, and he has championed some fine music over the years. so let us wish him a speedy recovery. www.kqed.org/arts/1398746...

rec of the day: PHIL MISTEIN a.o. "The Velvet Underground at the Boston Tea Party" (SP Purple Dog hc) big nice book of pics from each of the 5 runs the VU did at the tea party. great essays but mostly pix -- all by "the modern printer." not sure of press contact info, but it's out there somewhere.

RIP COUNTRY JOE MCDONALD when he was good he was amazing... www.nytimes.com/2026/03/08/a...

rec of the day: CHRIS D The Humanity of Femmes Fatales and Heartless Villains – International Noir and Beyond Genre (poison fang tpb) incredible 800+ page book dealing with seemingly every-noir-based film ever made. an insanely sprawling and readable masterpiece. www.amazon.com/Humanity-Fem...

really cool guided tour of richartd hell's lower east side apartment from the nyt no firewall www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

rec of the day: GORE VERBINKSI "Good Luck Have Fun Don't Die" a hell of a fine movie. worth seeing on the big screen. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm4W...

NEW TODAY ONN FEEDING TUBE RECORDS CORPUSSE "Delusions" LP the second masterpiece in the "Unkown Province" reissue series feedingtuberecords.com/releases/del...

RIP ELIANE RADIGUE no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/a...

Auction opens for original Matt Groening drawing of Homer Simpson done for Steve Albini. It's a beaut! Spread the word! www.stevealbiniscloset.com/auction

auction closes today at 4:30 PM eastern for STEVE ALBINI'S INCSRIBED LED ZEP 6 LP BOX www.stevealbiniscloset.com/auction

yikes tonyortega.substack.com/p/ugh-lemonh...

RIP BUD CORT best known for "harold & maude," but i always loved "brewster mccloud," "gas" & "the strawberry statement." no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/m...

RIP FRED SMITH then man who stepped into richard hell's shoes in television, making the band far less chaotic but a whole lot more "musical." later a vintner & animating presence at the great jones. no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/02/08/o...

AUCTION OPEN FOR STEVE ALBINI'S COPY OF THE LED ZEP 6LP BOX WARMLY INSCRIBED TO HIM BY JIMMY & ROBERT PLANT DURING THE "CLARKDALE" SESSIONS www.stevealbiniscloset.com/auction

rec of the day: HELENE BARBIER "panorama" (bonsound LP) third great solo slab by this MTL-based singer/bassist who was in moss lime. mixes post-punk instrumental lumpery with vocals based in the eternally-fulfilling birkin model. smooth, sharp & swingin'. helenebarbier.bandcamp.com/album/panorama

NYT did a great obit for JIMMY REED as part of their "overlooked" series no firewall www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/o...