Bongo Beat Records

THE RAMONES ARE BACK!
and Talking Heads, Iggy Pop, The Damned, Mo-Dettes, Patti Smith, Blondie, Teenage Head, the Barracudas, Bif Naked, Richard Hell, Diodes, Dead Boys and more!

Yep, my classic punk pix are back in stock at BBAM! Gallery. I spent a few hours yesterday at the photo lab getting all these favourites back in print. On FUJI archival photo paper. Each one is signed by the photographer (me).

Although lab prices have gone up, I am keeping my price low at $20 (but note that the next batch will cost more) because I want everyone to have a smiling Ramones in their house. I am well aware I should be asking for more money (feel free to lecture me about this, lol).

During my time as a rock writer/photographer (Cheap Thrills, New York Rocker, Bomp!, Kicks!, Shades, Impulse, and others), I was fortunate to interview and photograph many icons at the beginning of punk (1976-77).

With the odd exception (groups tracking me down wanting my 60s vibe), I pretty much put my cameras away after I started working at record labels. I don't shoot digital and I still have my workhorse Pentax Spotmatics. My photography came as part of my journalism training ("we don't want art, we want you to get the shot and make sure it's in focus") and some of my straight up photography appeared in the Toronto Star when I was a stringer for them.

These negatives sat in binders for years until the folks at the late lamented Blue Sunshine (Montreal) urged me to create an exhibition to go with a rare showing of Ross McLaren's Crash and Burn film way back in 2009 or so.

And there you go!

YES! I can do mail-order. Ask for my catalog.

BBAM! VINYL POP UP!
Saturday, May 18, 10-1pm

Cantinova Cafe, 4035 rue saint-ambroise
(next to Aubut), St Henri (Lionel Groulx Metro)

SPECIAL GUEST DJ: Ralph Alfonso
That's right, I'll be spinning some chill coffee jazz soft rock vibes to enjoy with the folks from Jungle Roasters who will also be there promoting their delicious coffee blends!

I'll have some new and used cool vinyl for sale.
Start your morning with me and then, in the afternoon, check out the Finissage for the Kristyna Baradinskas art exhibition at BBAM! Gallery.

Sunshine vibes!

Cantinova Café
Jungle Torréfacteur de café
BBAM! Gallery / galerie bbam

https://www.facebook.com/cantinova.cafe

Cantinova Café ☕️ Café, vinyle et gourmandises
🫶 Préparé avec amour

Si j'avais des piles de vinyles, je partirais pour…Quebec!

Yes! My first record show since Covid. Quebec City is always a good one. Hope to see some new and old friends there.
THIS SUNDAY! DIMANCHE. 10h

Rendez-vous vinyles Québec

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550275103423

Rendez-vous vinyles Québec Un évènement où les mélomanes et les amateurs de vinyle peuvent se réunir.

DAMN TRUTH - MONTREAL!

JOHNNY DOWD
Without a doubt, one of the most exciting and dangerous artists ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QXIXW152jM

Johnny Dowd Live in Vancouver, Aug 6, 06 Johnny Dowd with Wilie B on drums and Mike Stark on keyboards rock out The Railway Club, Vancouver, Sunday, Aug 6, 2006. One of the best live shows you will ...

THE BEDSIT POETS
two fabulous albums on Bongo Beat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKFo194O8Ik

Bedsit Poets, "The Summer That Changed" Debut video by The Bedsit Poets. "The Summer That Changed" from their Bongo Beat Records debut of the same name. http://www.bongobeat.com

Paul Hyde
No Gods Just Men

Listen to it here:

http://open.spotify.com/album/012CbZC0rI4RVzk5pbTSKH

No Gods Just Men Paul Hyde · Album · 2017 · 10 songs.

The very first release on Bongo Beat.

RALPH - COFFEE JAZZ AND POETRY

On July 14, 1995, I released my first album into the world.

It was recorded live in the studio with about 40 friends and co-workers from Nettwerk (Terry McBride gave me a Christmas present of free studio time on condition that whatever I did was exactly like the bookstore gig he had seen and enjoyed). We got everybody really drunk and had mikes in the audience cause I wanted that Ramsey Lewis live album vibe (I was obsessed with those lps at the time).

I had barely done a few gigs at the time as a trio (me, Tom Harrison & Mike Rummen) but as the gigs progressed, I basically stole Tom Harrison's band (Little Games) which already included Mike but now we added Radar on drums/percussion and then found Tracy Marks at John Rummen's (Mike's brother) house party where he and I jammed and instantly clicked.

Remember that I had no history of performing prior to this. I had been publishing my RALPH zine and got plucked out of obscurity by Mary Lynk to be a guest on CBC Morningside with Peter Gzowski, which changed the course of my life forever (of course, it was Mike Campbell - I blame you - for tipping her off to me).

The CD rocketed up the college charts, the reviews were great, and I was one of the first releases on the newly formed Outside Music distribution. Lloyd Nishimura begged me to come tour but I just didn't quite have the resources to do that - in hindsight, I should've just gone for it, but it all worked out for when I finally did.

My one real regret was not taking up Adrian Gibson's invitation to go play The Jazz Cafe in London, opening for various people for a week. Again, I doubted myself when I should've just grabbed everybody and hopped on a plane LOL.

Anyway, it all started innocently and naively here.

http://open.spotify.com/album/2noY3Zlr2YSP9FQk9PiX8v

Coffee, Jazz, and Poetry Ralph · Album · 1995 · 41 songs.

Bongo Beat Records updated their business hours.