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)):
OCTOBER 2011
Plans are now underway to finally release a compilation of live recordings from Blitzkrieg Bop, rather than a complete gig, the CD will feature assorted tracks from different gigs, including early recordings from the Speedway from March 1977 to songs from their reunion gig at The Cornerhouse in 1999.
OCTOBER 2011
There is also news of the release of a collection of demo tracks from Teesside punk band The Lice (featuring two former Bop members, Graham Moses & Mickey Dunne) dating from 1977/78, there will also be a bonus track of an interview from the bands vocalist. John is currently remastering the tracks at Imperial Digital.
OCTOBER 2011
Basczax have decided to make their 2010 reunion album "This Machine Rocks" available for free download. I understand this is being organised by the people behind the Rock Graden facebook page, more details to follow.
FEBRUARY 2011: Bop story now on Kindle
The 1998 book, "A Hard Road To Nowhere" is now available for download to your Kindle reader at this link. The book charts the ups and downs of Blitzkrieg Bop, complete with complete gig list, discography and lyrics.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
The new Basczax album, THIS MACHINE ROCKS, has finally arrived.
Available initially for download only, the album can be bought in one go, and also as separate tracks.
Track details:
1. Sexy Robot
2. Hollywood Strut
3. Automania
4. Neon Vampires
5. Track XXX
6. Darkstar 17
7. Siberian Eyes
8. The Calm
9. Disco Apocalypse
10.Velvet & She #1
11.Mekanik 2010
12.In A Room
13.Spies In The Wardrobe
14.That Dress
15.Velvet & She #2
MAY 2010: Bop/Basczax news
The mooted Bop reunion will not now be taking place. I can't see any prospect of it ever happening. But good news on the Basczax reformation - the project, unofficially christened BASCZAX 2.0 (the "Burning Airlines" moniker lasted all of 2 hours) is now in full flight. There will be a new album later this year, as yet untitled, with at least 12 songs, including new 2010 versions of old favourites "Neon Vampires" and "Hollywood Strut", as well as soms brand new tunes.
MAY 2010: No news on the planned book, to be honest the Basczax project has now overshadowed all else for the forseeable future.
FEBRUARY 2010: Bop reunion mooted There is a slim chance that Blitzkrieg Bop will be re-uniting once again in September 2010, plans are afoot to stage a Rock Garden reunion gig at a Teesside venue yet to be confirmed. The hope is for three original members of the band (Blank Frank, Gloria and Telly Sett) to perform the three tracks from the bands debut single, alongside many other bands from the 1977-80 period. Watch this space for any developments.
FEBRUARY 2010: New book being planned I have decided to write a new book, based on the Blitzkrieg Bop book "A Hard Road To Nowhere", it will also be called "A Hard Road To Nowhere" but with the added line "20 Years Of Rock & Roll Faliure" - which will focus on the period 1966-1986, and take in the stories of Basczax, Makaton Chat, Erection, Adamanta Chubb & Purity, as well as the Bop story. It will be available through lulu.com
FEBRUARY 2010: Basczax reform! Thanks to the wonders of the internet, four out of the five members of the "classic" Basczax line-up are now collaborating on a new project. Despite living in far flung places, Jeff Fogarty, Alan Savage, Mick Todd and John Hodgson are making music together after a 29 year gap. There are at least five new songs in the pipeline, with the first, "Disco Apocalypse", nearing completion. The provisional band name for this project is Burning Airlines.
FEBRUARY 2010: Sorry for the long gap! Some updates on previous stories: The Basczax "If There Is Something" project ultimately failed in its objective - the compiler of the CD rejected the track in favour of another version of the song by another band - well sod you then! On the Basczax CD front, there is no immediate prospect of a release date.
JANUARY 2009: New Basczax track! In late 2008 I collaborated with Basczax bassist Mick Todd after we were approached to contribute a Roxy Music cover version to a tribute LP due for release in 2009. The band decided to cover "If There Is Something", from the bands debut LP. Full details to follow.
JANUARY 2009: Bop guitarist visits Imperial Digital In late 2008 Bop guitarist Ray Radford (Ray Gunn) dropped into Imperial Digital to contribute some rocking guitar to several on-going projects. Not quite a Bop-reunion, but it's the first time we have worked together since 1999, and the first time we have recorded together since 1978. Full details to follow.
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.
