Welcome to the official site for Blitzkrieg Bop - the UK punk band from the North-East of England that rattled round the UK between February 1977 and February 1979.
This site aims to be a repository for all things connected with the band, including a detailed history, rare photographs and film, lyrics, a gig guide, press cuttings, reviews, a discography and anything else connected with the band.
If you click on "other bands" there are sections that give details of other bands involving John Hodgson, from my school band formed with my life-long pal Michael Charlton (Purity) in 1966, right through to my current project, essentially solo, which goes under the name Fast Cakes.
LATEST NEWS (Compiled by band vocalist John Hodgson (aka Blank Frank)):
SEPTEMBER 2007: Fast Cakes new CD "LIVEYOUNGDIEFAST" Now available for £4 per copy.
Click the "BUY NOW" button or, to hear samples from the album, click HERE
NOVEMBER 2007: Bop line-up problems I am having a little difficulty putting together a line-up for Blitzkrieg Bop's planned performance at the 2008 Blackpool Punk Festival. I have been unable to contact any ex-members that can realistically play the event. Strangely, both ex-bass players (Graham Moses and Mick Hylton) now reside in Canada, Ray Radford lives in Folkestone and Micky Dunne was in the Derby area last time I checked. Frantic googling has failed to trace them. It goes without saying that if I can't get in contact soon, the re-union will not happen.
NOVEMBER 2007: Gazette review for LIVEYOUNGDIEFAST Fast Cakes finally secured a Gazette review for the new CD courtesy of Rob Nichols and his "On The Beat" column. Thankfully it was a good one:
FAST CAKES: LIVEYOUNGDIEFAST Have you sampled the delights of Fast Cakes? The name on the CD sleeve is the alter ego of a musical maestro who has been making waves for many years now. John Hodgson, the former Blitzkrieg Bop'per and Basczax keyboardist surfaced as Red Sky to twice herald Boro cup finals. Now he's recorded a full fledged album provocatively titled Live Young Die Fast.
He cuts a formidable presence staring out moodily from the album artwork, but there's nothing unapproachable about the content.
It's a real delight.
A gateway track recreates an entrance into Japan, through Narita airport terminal, Tokyo. It's a comfortable and courteous entrance into the world of Fastcakes.
It's a world where the former punk has found pop.
All delivered through one of the truly great Teesside voices. I'm finding it hard to stop whistling along to "Lucky Face", a two-faced song in that its upbeat rhythm partly disguises a song of relationship breaking, scheming and duplicity.
The album signs off with a powerful three-parter, "Soul Soldiers", the battle for minds and souls.
NOVEMBER 2007: Boro song completed Ewan Carmichael came into Imperial Digital and put the finishing touches to his Boro song "Dancing Out On The Street" recently, and approved my final mix of the song a few days later. The results can be heard here: Dancing Out On The Street
OCTOBER 2007: BBC researching piece on 30th anniversary of punk I have been approached by Matt Newsum of BBC Tees Radio with a view to participating in a feature on the local punk scene 30 years on. Watch this space...
OCTOBER 2007: Bop invited to play Punk festival
Brad Sheperd of Rebellion Festivals (www.rebellionfestivals.com) has asked if Blitzkrieg Bop want to reform with a view to playing the annual punk festival held at the Blackpool Winter Gardens in August '08. Attempts are now being made to round up a line-up, watch this space...
OCTOBER 2007: Boro song update
Ewan Carmichael has been in and we have started yet another "final" version of his Boro song "Dancing Out On The Street", having deemed the ill-fated second version as too fast. This time he brought along a drummer called Andy Kiss. Me and Andy go way back and indeed I didn't recognise him - he was in a Teesside band called Drop (see "Other bands> Teesside Band Archive" to hear their music) who were around the scene the same time I was in Basczax. Anyhoo, he laid down some mean drums and we have made a start on the new slower version. Soon come...
OCTOBER 2007: Imperial Digital Studios: Sessions update Philip Harwood, a talented Teesside singer/songwriter, is now onto his 3rd song at the studios. There is a vague plan to record an album's worth of material. You can hear the first finished song, entitled "We're All Done" here: We're All Done
SEPTEMBER 2007: Busy time at Imperial Digital Studios A songwriter and Boro supporter, Ewan Carmichael, spent a few hours in Imperial Digital laying down an acoustic demo of a song dedicated the the club, entitled "Dancing Out In The Street". A full band version is planned, but in the meantime you can hear the demo here.
SEPTEMBER 2007: Blitzkrieg Bop discography updated I have updated the Bop discography page (see link at top of this page) to include the Sator DVD and a few others. It's still not complete, but it's getting there.
SEPTEMBER 2007: Fast Cakes isound site created There seem to be an incresing number of music hosting sites nowadays, and i've just found another one called isound. I have created a band page for Fast Cakes which can be accessed here: isound . There's nothing on the isound site that cannot be found here.
SEPTEMBER 2007: New Basczax CD planned Negotiations are under way with an Italian indie label for a limited edition release of a Basczax compilation. The idea is to have a collection of audio tracks coupled with a video of the bands only TV appearance, singing "Ego Therapy" from Check It Out in 1980. Watch this space for more details.
SEPTEMBER 2007: Progressive Housewares feature Did a photo shoot and brief interview for Progressive Housewares magazine to promote LIVEYOUNGDIEFAST. It should appear in the October issue.
SEPTEMBER 2007: New Youtube videos Someone has kindly posted Makaton Chat's 1986 final TV appearance on TX45. We performed twp songs, "Blood From A Stone" and "Lines", you can watch them below:
Blood From A Stone:
Lines:
AUGUST 2007: Publishing contract signed A contract for the publishing rights to "LIVEYOUNGDIEFAST" was signed on the 25th August with Millbrand Music. There is also plans for me to compose music for films, as Millbrand have recently expanded into film music publishing.
AUGUST 2007: Disaster at pressing plant! An e-mail arrived at Imperial Digital telling of a cock-up at the pressing plant, the master for "LIVEYOUNGDIEFAST" had been damaged during the pressing process. A new master was immediately copied and sent the same day to the pressing plant. It has delayed the release of the CD by about a week.
AUGUST 2007: Link to Fast Cakes Soundclick site. The music promotion site Soundclick celebrates 10 years online this year, and I can certainly vouch for its usefulness in promoting music. Click on the banner below and you will be able to listen to over 40 Fast Cakes songs free of charge.
AUGUST 2007: Sator DVD finally arrives. Chips Kiesbye from the Swedish punk pand Sator finally posted a copy of their new live DVD "Live At Sticky Fingers 2006" to me, and true enough, the band are seen performing a great version of the Blitzkrieg Bop song "Get Out Of My Way", however, it is only a "bonus track" and there doesn't appear to be an audience present. It could be a soundcheck, who knows. Ah well.
JULY 2007: New album almost ready!! The master disc and artwork have finally been sent to the pressing plant, and the new Fast Cakes CD "LIVEYOUNGDIEFAST" should be available in a couple of weeks.
JULY 2007: New song! Following the posting of some lyrics by a poster (shearer-hero) on the Middlesbrough FC forum (fmttm.com) I have commenced the writing of a new song (provisionally entitled "Through These Flames"), the first VERY rough demo of part of the song can be heard here
JUNE 2007: Vinyl On The Net! Vinyl On The Net Superb resource for rare punk rock vinyl, post-punk, new wave, mod, ska, indie, C86, psychobilly, Madchester, gothic, trash, and Americana, and much more too. Check out their wide range of memorabilia, especially punk collectables and posters.
JUNE 2007: Bop discography gets even bigger! Spent a couple of hours digging around the dusty corners of the interweb, and found at least 3 releases featuring Blitzkrieg Bop that I was previously unaware of. Nothing too exciting, but a label called Cleopatra released a couple of compilations around 2000 that feature the Mortonsound version of "Let's Go". Naughty bastards! This has prompted me to really try and find the time to update the discography. You might also notice a new banner above for downloadpunk - I am just working out how to upload some Bop music so that people can buy tracks - I'll try and dig out some rare stuff.
JUNE 2007: Lyrics to new album uploaded The complete libretto for the new Fast Cakes album "Liveyoungdiefast" has now been uploaded to this site. Click on "other bands" at the top and then "Fast Cakes".
MAY 2007: Bop song released on DVD A cover version of the Blitzkrieg Bop song "Get Out Of My Way" has finally been released by Swedish band SATOR. A studio recording is due to be released later this year, but on 21st March 2007 they released a live DVD featuring the song. You can order the DVD here if you wish: Bop DVD Here are the front and back of the DVD: (click for larger pictures)
APRIL 2007: FAST CAKES album almost finished The final track listing has been decided for the new FAST CAKES album. Entitled LIVEYOUNGDIEFAST, the details are as follows:
1. Narita (Hodgson/McKie) 5.23
2. Not Fade Away (Hardin/Petty) 2.29
3. Morning Star (Hodgson/Styles) 2.19
4. Obvious (Hodgson) 2.02
5. The Planet Song (Hodgson) 2.39
6. Lucky Face (Hodgson) 4.23
7. To Try For The Sun (Leitch) 3.24
8. Grey Gardens (Hodgson) 2.01
9. It's Still Me And You (Hodgson) 3.08
10. Hideaway (Hodgson) 2.26
11. Miserable Pleader (Song For D) (Hodgson) 2.17
12. Life (Hodgson) 2.25
13. Soul Soldiers (a. The Soldiers (Hodgson/Knight), b. Soul Prologue (Hodgson), c. Everyone's Soul (Hodgson)) 9.05
Here is a provisional design for the cover of the CD: (click for larger picture)
Most tracks are now mastered, but I have some work to do on the vocals, and that will result in yet more "final mixes".I would hope to have it ready for release around June/July. There are a number of rejected tracks that I will be posting as free downloads, titles include "Optimisation" and "Armenia".
APRIL 2007: New FAST CAKES album making progress I have taken 6 days off over Easter in order to crack on with my new album. It has a working title of "Live Fast Die Young" and as I speak I have nine finished masters. Titles include "Narita", "Morning Star", "Hideaway", Everyone's Soul", "To Try For The Sun", "Obvious" and "The Planet Song". It is expected to be released later this year.
APRIL 2007: Rare Blitzkrieg Bop video posted on Youtube Some kind person has posted footage from a 1994 re-union gig by Blitzkrieg Bop onto Youtube. It runs for almost 9 minutes and shows the band performing at Middlesbrough Town Hall in November 1994, where they starred in a benefit concert for local musician Dave Johns, formerly of Teesside band The Barbarians, who, despite being very ill, watched the bands perform in his honour. He died of cancer a few days after the gig. The band rip through Radio, Let's Go, and a cover of Bowie's Heroes. You can watch it here:
APRIL 2007: Sator live cover versions uploaded to site Sator, the Swedish punk band, now routinely perform the Bop song "Get Out Of My Way" at their gigs. I have obtained three bootleg performances of the song, one of which apparently features Paul Cook from The Sex Pistols on drums!
You can hear them here
JANUARY 2007: New Fast Cakes song I have recently finished a new song (under my current moniker, Fast Cakes) entitled "Narita". Most of the lyrics were provided by Duncan McKie of Hebden Bridge, a friend of mine who was inspired to write them following a trip to Japan. Musically it is a mix of an Elton John ballad and a "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" style hook. I am considering adding some guitar, but the preliminary "final" mix can be heard here
JANUARY 2007: Top Swedish punk band to cover Bop song! After years of waiting, top Swedish punk band Sator have confirmed that they are to release a version of the Blitzkrieg Bop song "Get Out Of My Way". The idea was first mooted in 1998, but it has taken until now for it to happen. The CD is to be called "BBQ Killers Vol.2" which is an album full of cover versions of the bands favourite songs. It is due to be released this summer. The band are also releasing a live DVD shortly with a live version of "Get Out Of My Way". Every CD that Sator release gets into the Swedish charts, and I hope that this one is no exception. Fame at last!
JANUARY 2007: Makaton Chat story I have started to write the history of Makaton Chat, the band I was in from 1980 to 1986. It will take me a long time, as there is a lot to write about, but the start can be read if you click on "other bands" at the top of this page, then click on the "Makaton Chat" banner.
JANUARY 2007: New Fast Cakes song Just completed a "fun" version of The Rolling Stones "Not Fade Away" which you can hear here.
JANUARY 2007: Teesside Band Archive launched The brand new site celebrating the Teesside music scene has finally started to take shape. You can reach it at www.teessidebandarchive.co.uk and there is a forum, you can access this by clicking here
Apologies for not linking them directly, but I will have to ask my son to teach me how to do links again!
DECEMBER 2006: Adamanta Chubb diary added If you click on "other bands" above and the "Adamanta Chubb" you will be able to read a diary account of the time I was in Adamanta Chubb between January 1975 and May 1976.
DECEMBER 2006: YouTube videos I've just figured out how to embed YouTube videos! There'll be no stopping me now! Above you should be able to play Makaton Chat performing Victims Of Your Heart at The Dovecot Arts Centre in 1986. Enjoy...more to follow!
DECEMBER 2006: Purity story added If you click on "other bands" above and then "Purity" there is a fairly detailed history of my first band, Purity, which ran from 1966 to 1973.
DECEMBER 2006: PUNK76! Exhibition - succesful opening night
Over 200 people packed into the Discovery Museum's People's Gallery on Tuesday 5th December 2006 for the launch party of the PUNK76! Exhibition. Ex-band members mingled with punk fans, and the crowd were entertained by The Noise Toys and The Bulbs, who played a few numbers. The free jukebox was a popular facility with a constant stream of punk songs keeping the atmosphere buzzing. Pauline Murray and Robert Blamire from Penetration were in attendance, along with Bugsy from the Amazing Spacefrogs, Peter Howard from Big G, and yours truly of course! You can view a gallery of pictures from the event here
NOVEMBER 2006: New punk book featuring Blitzkrieg Bop A new book by Alex Ogg has been published by Cherry Red. Entitled "No More Heroes - A complete history of UK punk 1976-80" it costs £17.99 from http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/nomoreheroes.php
Bop get a decent 2 1/2 pages entry, complete with photograph, with most of the salient points correctly recounted, which makes a pleasant change. Basczax also get a page (with photograph) and there are also entries for Teesside bands The Amazing Spacefrogs and No Way.
NOVEMBER 2006: New record label planned I have decided to start a new record label, with the intention of bringing the music in my collection to a wider audience. As well as releases by Blitzkrieg Bop, I hope to release CD's by Basczax, and hopefully several collections of Teesside punk and new wave bands. I would also like to release limited edition 7" singles by new local bands. Watch this space.
NOVEMBER 2006: Teesside Band Archive if you visit www.soundclick.com/teessidebandarchive you will be able to listen to mp3's by various Teesside bands, including The Amazing Space Frogs, The Lice, Bladze and Basczax. The plan is to build the archive into a comprehensive repository for Teesside bands, including new ones.
NOVEMBER 2006: PUNK76 exhibition date confirmed The PUNK76 exhibition at The Discovery Museum has its opening night on Tuesday 5th December between 6-8pm, it is then open to the public until sometime in January (end date tbc)
NOVEMBER 2006: Museum Exhibition I have loaned a large part of my archive material to an exhibition entitled "Punk 76" at the peoples gallery, Discovery Museum, In Newcastle which will run in December and January (Exact Dates TBC). Amongst the items on display will be posters, records, photographs, press cuttings and ticket stubs from the local punk scene between 1976-1979.
OCTOBER 2006: Re-organisation of soundclick site
I have re-organised my soundclick site. If you click here then you will see links to all the other bands,
including, of course, Blitzkrieg Bop. I have added new bands, including The
Gynaecologists, The Adenoids Of Gimf and The Curtains.
There are new downloads for all bands, including many rare and previously
unreleased material.
OCTOBER 2006: Rare Record Price Guide out
I have just had first viewing of the Rare Record Price Guide 2008, and sadly
the value of "Let's Go" on Mortonsound has not altered significantly, and
certainly has not reflected the fact that it went for £200+ on E-bay
recently. (See news item below). I will post the new values soon.
JULY 2006: MORTONSOUND "Let's Go" single fetches £261 on e-bay!!
The debut single from Blitzkrieg Bop, "Let's Go" on Mortonsound Records fetched an amazing £261 at a recent E-bay auction. Click here to see the auction.
The record was previously valued at only £55 in Record Collectors "Rare Record Price Guide", a value that will surely have to be adjusted. This sale makes "Let's Go" one of the most valuable punk record ever.
JULY 2006: Bop's 20th anniversary re-union gig bootlegged in Spain!!
I have this week discovered that an unnoficial CD bootleg surfaced on E-bay. It's called "Bugger Off" after one of the bands better known tunes. The label indicates that the CD originated in Spain, as it is on the "Rockaway Records" label. However there is no mention of the CD on the Rockaway website, and no one could be contacted from Rockaway to confirm that they are actually aware of its existence. The CD has three studio tracks, "Let's Go", "Mental Case", and "Life Is Just A So-So", and the re-union concert, held at The Cornerhouse, Middlesbrough in 1999. The sleeve has the gig wrongly listed as recorded live at "The Dangerhouse". The source of the recording is a minidisc recording made by myself. This version was sent out to several fans and has somehow found its way onto the internet. I have decided to release Bop product myself to avoid bootleging in the future. Watch this space for news of rare music from the band to follow.
