BP Fallon

We are delighted to announce that BP Fallon will be DJing and speaking at Ireland’s famous Electric Picnic festival.

Photography: BP Fallon speaking at Mindfield at Electric Picnic last year, by lib-lab

Electric Picnic Music & Arts Festival, Friday September 3rd – Sunday September 5th at Stradbally Hall Estate, Co. Laois, Ireland.

At Electric Picnic’s Mindfield, BP will speak on the panel ‘Unknown Pleasures’ in a talk about the past, present and future of the music business/schmizzness, in the company of some of its other enduring legends. Peter Hook – former bass player with Joy Division and New Order – teams up with pot evangelist Mr. Nice Howard Marks in a frank conversation about the fraught past; former Wham! manager and author of the scurrilous book ‘Black Vinyl, White Powder’ Simon Napier-Bell joins them to talk about the present – and legendary DJ, photographer, lead vocalist and Viscount Of Vibes BP Fallon looks into the future. The panel is presented by RTE and is moderated by Dave Fanning.
Saturday @ 4pm in the Leviathan tent.

Photography: BP Fallon @ Electric Picnic’s Mindfield 2009 by Bob Gruen

Dublin’s Science Gallery present Ignite at Mindfield. Our esteemed Mr Fallon will give a rapid 5-minutes-with-slides Ignite talk. Title of BP’s chinwag-with-visuals is ‘Now And Zen: Mind Your Mind And Your Mind Will Mind You’ – which could mean anything and probably does.
Saturday @ 3pm.

And after all the sorta-cerebral stuff has been sorted – even more fun and frolics when BP Fallon takes to the decks to DJ at Mindfield, where he headlines under the Science Gallery umbrella (tent?).
Saturday @ 8pm.

“I’m very very vibed up about this Mindfield-Science Gallery-Electric Picnic boogaloo” our Mr Fallon says from New York. “Electric Picnic, with all its many magics like Mindfield and Body And Soul – as well as the incredible music – is an important festival. Last year was a complete gas. I can’t wait to be in Ireland at EP next weekend, spinning and doing verbal”.

Also appearing at Electric Picnic are Massive Attack, Leftfield, Roxy Music, Public Image Ltd, LCD Soundsystem, Modest Mouse, The National, Lucent Dossier Experience, Marc Almond, Crystal Castles, Mumford & Sons, Hot Chip, Steve Earle, The Horrors and a cast of hundreds more.

Photography: May The Road Rise To Meet You – the road to Electric Picnic by BP Fallon

Photography: Mindfield at Electric Picnic 2009 by BP Fallon

Photography: Cosmic lights at Electric Picnic 2008 by BP Fallon

More effervescent EP pix:
1) BP Fallon & The Kills, My Bloody Valentine, Shane MacGowan & The Sex Pistols @ Electric Picnic 2008
2) The BP Fallon Orchestra & Chorus at Mindfield @ Electric Picnic 2009

LIFE’S A GAS
I could have loved you girl
Like a planet
I could have chained your heart
To a star
But it really doesn’t matter at all
But it really doesn’t matter at all
Life’s a gas. I hope it’s gonna last.
I could have built a house
On the ocean
I could placed your love
In the sky
I could have turned you
into a priestess
I could have burned
Your fate in the sand
- words & music by Marc Bolan

Photography: Marc Bolan & BP Fallon May 14th 1971 by Spud Murphy

Vibing in the dressing room at The Albert Hall in Nottingham. Later that evening during the T.Rex concert, Spud Murphy took the black and white photograph of Marc on stage with his guitar and amp that – etched in gold – became the basis for the iconic ‘Electric Warrior’ album cover that set the tone for the new Bolan boogie inside. Magic times.

Scan of the German magazine Bravo by Karin Markgraf on Facebook

BP – front left beside Mickey & Marc – is wearing Marc’s glitter leopard jacket. The Ottos were Bravo magazine’s Oscars. Note The Sweet and their producer Mike Chapman – who went on to produce BP Fallon’s bass player Nigel Harrison in Blondie – in the lineup. The award-giving event took place in Munich on April 26th 1972. The next day BP, Marc and Mickey flew to Copenhagen:

Photography: BP Fallon & Marc Bolan in Copenhagen April 27th 1972 by Jørgen Angel

Marc and Mickey and BP had just flown in from Munich via Frankfurt and are here arriving straight from Copenhagen airport at Rosenberg Studios to meet up with Tony Visconti and Steve Currie and Bill Legend and Mick O’Halloran who’d flown out from London earlier. Recording began almost immediately, bearing sonic gold easy action in tracks like ‘Chariot Choogle’ and ‘Buick Mackane’ and the electric version of ‘Sunken Rags’. More magic.

SEE! T.Rex ‘Hot Love’ with BP Fallon playing congas and singing backing vocals (1971)

Marc Bolan & T.Rex with BP Fallon: ‘Hot Love’ from VisualArtCo on Vimeo

Performance filmed June 27th 1971 in Erbach/Odenwald near Frankfurt for the German TV show ‘Hits A GoGo’. BP Fallon and T.Rex travelled to Italy the following day June 28th 1971 for another TV performance, when the photograph below was taken.

Photography: BP Fallon & T.Rex – Marc Bolan & Mickey Finn & Bill Legend & Steve Currie – Milan 1971. Marc, Mickey and Steve RIP. This image found via Facebook by Karen Bond.

Says BP “We flew to Milan from Frankfurt for another tv show and then flew on to Switzerland later that evening to do interviews. Marc’s peaked cap is from ‘Too Fast To Live Too Young To Die’, Malcolm McLaren & Vivienne Westwood’s shop in King’s Road before ‘Sex’.

“La la la lala la la, la la la lala la la…”

T.Rex ‘Hot Love’ screengrabs: BP Fallon & Marc Bolan
on the German TV show ‘Hits A Go Go’ 1971

With thanks to Radek, Bill Kates, lib-lab, Jörg Günther and Dennis Dahm.

The Brooklyn Vegan says: “The musical highlight of the recent not-Pete Doherty show at Milk Studios was BP Fallon and band performing ‘Fame #9′ / ‘I Believe in Elvis Presley’ with Lenny Kaye and Aaron Lee Tasjan on guitars and Sean Lennon on drums. Joly filmed it. Video below…”

Video: BP Fallon & His Band performing ‘Fame #9′ / ‘I Believe In Elvis Presley’ live @ Milk NYC by Joly

Photography: BP Fallon & His Band – Aaron Lee Tasjan & BPF & Lenny Kaye – soundchecking @ Milk NYC by Radek

Screengrab: BP Fallon & His Band – BPF & Aaron Lee Tasjan & Sean Lennon – live @ Milk NYC by Christopher M Lynch

Thirsty: The Interview with BP Fallon Part 1

Amazing interview conducted in The Chelsea Hotel by noted American rock’n'roll commentator Sarah L Myers.

Subjects embraced range from BP Fallon talking about his band to when he used to stay at The Chelsea, from his internet radio show BP Fallon’s Wang Dang Doodle to drugs, from fame and Fuck Buttons to Max’s Kansas City and Dee Dee Ramone, from The Kills to “animalistic behavior is very much part of rock n’ roll” to BP’s idea of romance… and beyond.

And! Listen! In audio!
Hear BP talking to Sarah about “the magnificent tragedy” that was Gene Vincent and the joy and pain of managing Johnny Thunders.

Illustrated with photos by BP Fallon of Alison Mosshart and Agyness Deyn, Alan McGee and Kate Moss, Karen Elson and Slash plus shots of our Mr Fallon with friends like Marc Bolan and Jack White.

It’s such a great interview that here’s the link again x

Photography: BP Fallon & Johnny Thunders Dublin 1990 by Paul Murphy

Dateline: New York City last Thursday June 10 2010

Screengrab: BP Fallon & His Band – Aaron Lee Tasjan, Sean Lennon & Lenny Kaye – live @ Milk NYC by Christopher M Lynch

Pete Doherty arrives at JFK at 11am for the Corduroy Magazine launch/KIVA.org fundraiser being hosted by Irina Lazareanu at Milk NYC later that night. US immigration refuse him entry and after holding him for a while stick him on a plane back to London. Irina and BP Fallon return from the airport without Mr D.

Nonetheless the show that night – put together by Irina and the fab fashion designer/stylist/effervescent event organiser Liz McClean – is the biggest thing to hit New York since Andy Warhol and Max’s Kansas City ruled. Exaggeration? No.

Milk holds 500 people at most and 10,000 people turned up. Mayhem ensued. West 15th Street and beyond was jammed. The NYPD put The Meatpacking District into lockdown and as there was no room for them to drive on the streets the police drove along the pavements with loudspeakerss, ordering the fans to disperse. Twice the police tried to close down the show but first Irina and then BP took to the mic and refused to stop. Ah, rock’n'roll!

Photography: BP Fallon DJs @ Milk NYC, Irina Lazareanu choogles,
by Radek

Photography: BP Fallon & His Band live @ Milk NYC by Brooklyn Vegan

And the music? BP opened the proceedings as DJ – with Irina on bongos and Sean Lennon on guitar joining in. Then Ms Lazareanu – verily a veritable force of nature – took the stage backed by Sean and Charlotte Kemp Muhl and pals to unleash an explosion of spoken word titled ‘Many Springs’ that quelled the audience with its power and drew tears in many for its naked emotion. Simply mesmerising. This girl is a major talent. Simple as that.

Video: Irina Lazareanu & friends performing ‘Many Springs’ live @ Milk NYC by Joly

BP Fallon and his band – for this special occasion Aaron Lee Tasjan on acoustic guitar, Lenny Kaye from The Patti Smith Group on electric guitar and Sean Lennon on drums – opened with the spoken word number ‘Fame #9′ which segued into ‘I Believe In Elvis Presley’, Lenny’s liquid mercury guitar flourishes glistening with Aaron’s feral honey-dripping slide. They then premiered a new song ‘I Saw Her Face’ – written by Fallon/Tasjan/Nigel Harrison – with Aaron and Lenny joining BP on vocals on this outrageously catchy ditty with its chorus of “Met her in Venice, it was a Tuesday. Later she said it was April Fool’s Day…”

Video: BP Fallon & His Band performing ‘Fame #9′/’I Believe In Elvis Presley’ live @ Milk NYC by Joly

White Light/White Heat: BP Fallon surrenders to the gods @ Milk NYC
by Shaun Hoffman

When BP had rung Lenny Kaye to invite him to play with him, Lenny said he’d love to – but he was going down to Memphis to meet Jerry Lee Lewis at Jerry Lee’s house. “Well, Lenny,” BP had said “That’s as good as an excuse as any man could give me. I forgive you”. A few days later Lenny rang from Memphis. “I’ve seen Jerry Lee. It was terrific. Now I’m coming back for your gig”

Photography: Cory Kennedy & Sean Lennon & Adam Green & Charlotte Kemp Muhl & Irina Lazareanu by BP Fallon

Now Irina and Sean and Charlotte and Adam Green are playing, again dedicating the evening to the absent Pete Doherty and performing songs like Adam’s ‘My Shadow Tags On Behind’ and Sean and Charlotte’s ‘Garden Du Luxembourg’ and Sean and Irina’s ‘Strange Places’ and Janis’ ‘Mercedes Benz’ and Dylan’s ‘Girl From The North Country’ and The Beatles version of ‘Twist And Shout’. And it’s loose and it’s rocking and it’s charming and very very special, the contagious joy of friends converging to make music together.

Photography: Theodora Richards & Aaron Lee Tasjan & Lizzie Jagger
by BP Fallon

Bruce Willis is one of the punters mad for it, because he somehow managed to get in. Isabella Rossellini and Michael Pitt and Helena Christensen didn’t. Meanwhile during the silent auction to aid KIVA.org, the photograph of Irina Lazareanu by Alexandra Carr is sold for $12,000.

Photography: Irina Lazareanu by Alexandra Carr raised $12,000

Photography: Irina Lazareanu by BP Fallon

The party moves on to Kenmare, where BP Fallon DJs again…

Photography: BP Fallon DJs @ Kenmare by Starr Rinaldi

And now the web is reporting. “Pandemonium erupted outside New York’s Milk Studios Thursday night as thousands of bearded and bedazzled hipsters… were greeted not with musical performances and free alcohol but by the blaring sirens of New York’s finest” says WWDMEDIA.

Alex Geana in Huffingtonpost.com writes that “the cops were converging on the mob scene…” while refinery29.com says “When we rolled up to Milk Studios… we weren’t exactly prepared for the shit-storm outside… and we kid you not when we say it looked like the swat team of cops was just waiting to be provoked”.

Photography: The police outside Milk courtesy Corduroy Magazine

Ah, fuck it. Last Thursday in New York is what New York used to be and what is was again for one extraordinary night. A brilliant creative scene with musicians collaborating plus excitement and fun and people going bonkers – even rioting in the streets. It’s only rock’n'roll and there’s more to come… watch this space.

More reports:
Vanity Fair
Papermag.com
Brooklyn Vegan
PrefixMag.com
ShockYa.com
Spinner.com
and
Corduroy Magazine says thanks

BP Fallon thanks his tour manager Shaun Hoffman and Liz McLean and Cheri Bowen and Nur – and Rassi who gave his space Milk for free. And a doff of the Derby to Joly for his excellent videography x

BP Fallon and Dave Fanning have a chinwag about BP’s unfolding adventure – interspersed with excerpts from the videos for BP’s record ‘I Believe In Elvis Presley’, The Dead Weather ‘Cut Like A Buffalo’ with a cameo by Mr Fallon, The Dead Skeletons ‘Dead Mantra’, The Brian Jonestown Massacre ‘Tempo 116.7′, the rare and hilarious Frank Hall interview with The Beatles at Dublin Airport in 1963 plus John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band ‘Instant Karma’ from 1970 with BP on bass guitar.

With love and respect to Dave & Ursula Fanning and much thanks too to Joly of Punkcast x

Photography: BP Fallon & Aaron Lee Tasjan get real gone while Clem Burke tickles his snare, by Glen Brown

BP Fallon and his band – who for this special occasion are Aaron Lee Tasjan on acoustic guitar and Lenny Kaye from The Patti Smith Group on electric guitar – play at the Corduroy Magazine Launch Party/KIVA.org fundraiser in New York at Milk Gallery on Thursday June 10.

Photography: Irina Lazareanu by BP Fallon

Titled ‘Some Place Along The Way’ and hosted by the multi-faceted Irina Lazareanu, the event will also feature performances by Irina with Pete Doherty, Sean Lennon, Charlotte Kemp Muhl and Adam Green.

Photography: Rehearsals with Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl & Irina Lazareanu & Adam Green (above) & (below) Pete Doherty.
Photographs by BP Fallon

DJs for the evening are our multi-faceted Mr Fallon and The Misshapes.

Silent auction for prints and art to benefit KIVA.org includes portraits of Theodora Richards, Juliette Lewis, Aimee Man, Melissa Auf der Maur, Emma Willis and many many more.

Photography: Irina Lazareanu by BP Fallon

BP Fallon and his band played in Texas.

Photography: BP Fallon & his band by Dawn Laureen

The band: BP Fallon vox, Aaron Lee Tasjan who’s played with The New York Dolls on guitar plus the celebrated Rock’n'Roll Hall Of Fame Blondie rhythm section of Nigel Harrison bass and Clem Burke drums.

“I didn’t exactly plan this” says BP. “I simply thought ‘I have a record out – I guess I should have a band’. I made three phonecalls and everyone said yes. Then I thought ‘God, what have I done?’

Photography: The New York Dolls – Sylvain Sylvain & David Johansen & Aaron Lee Tasjan – South America 2009

“Aaron’s the hottest young guitarist in New York. In Texas, people were going ‘Who’s the kid?’, all knocked out by this baby-faced demon and his full-on twanging. Hell, the cat can play! No wonder when The Dolls toured South America last year and Steve Conte couldn’t make it, they asked Aaron to play guitar with them. He’s ace. It was Aaron who came up with the riff in my song ‘I Believe In Elvis Presley’ that Jack White plays so fantastically on the record.

Photography: Nigel Harrison & Iggy Pop & Ron Asheton @ Rodney’s English Disco Hollywood by Julian Wasser 1974

“And Nigel and Clem… I’m honoured to have them in the band. Nigel’s one of my best friends since 1972, when he was in the great English group Silverhead and we came to America for the first time together. Ah, rock’n'roll and sex and drugs (chuckle). Then Nigel played with Iggy and Ray Manzarek and played the bass on The Runaways records before joining Blondie. Which is where I met Clem.

Photography: Blondie – Nigel Harrison & Chris Stein & Clem Burke & Frank Infante & Jimmy Destri & Debbie Harry 1979. The Blondie song ‘Union City Blue’ written by Debbie Harry/Nigel Harrison. Dig Clem’s suit!

“Clem’s recognised as one of the greatest rock’n'roll drummers in the world, he’s played with everyone from the Ramones to Bob Dylan via Brian Wilson and Patti Smith. Nigel and Clem, they’re the ‘Heart Of Glass’ rhythm section – indeed, all the Blondie mega hits – the power behind Debbie Harry when Blondie conquered the world. Amazing to have them on board, this skilled powerhouse…

“We rehearsed in New York and then near Austin in the house of Kathy Valentine from The Go-Gos, in her studio. Thank you, Kathy!

Photography: Live! BP Fallon & his band by Bob Gruen

“We played our very first gig at Frank Murray’s ’1st Annual Austin Fleadh’ and in the audience grinning away digging it were Lenny Kaye, Bob Gruen and Michael Des Barres from Silverhead. And it was an incredible gig. Our very first review

Photography: Live! BP Fallon & his band by Dawn Laureen

“We played at Jovita’s in Austin, at the Roggie Bear-organised Victoria Williams Sweet Relief charity benefit. Another amazing show. Another amazing review

Photography: Michael Des Barres & Danny B Harvey & BP Fallon @ Red Horse Ranch by Little Deb

“We played in the wilds of Texas at Jimmy Quill’s Red Horse Ranch in a loose conglomeration with stellar players like Jesse Dayton and Jimmy Quill and Michael Des Barres and Danny B Harvey. This magical event was the icing on the cake…

“All the members of the band including me wish to continue”.

What are they going to do next?

“Ah” says BP, chuckling again. “Ah…”

Watch this space.

Photography: “We’ll meet again…” by Dawn Laureen

See! Many more killer pictures – including Marc Bolan, Andy Warhol, Johnny Thunders, Bob Dylan, Joey Ramone, Sable Starr and Iggy Pop
plus Elvis, Muddy Waters, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Lennon and Jack White – in
‘The Story Of A Band (The Flickr 12″ Mix Of Pix)’

Photography: Dave Fanning interviews BP Fallon for ‘The 11th Hour’

BP Fallon in the Special Guest on Dave Fanning’s excellent TV programme ‘The 11th Hour’ on Wednesday April 21st. The show is screened by RTE2 at 11.20pm.

BP will be talking to Dave about his amazing musical adventures, in Mr Fanning’s Desert Island Discs (with moving pictures) segment.

Additionally, Dave has an exclusive interview with Ry Cooder. Irish band from the video vaults: My Bloody Valentine. New Irish band: I Phoenix. Live: David Turpin.

Plus! A look at the movie ‘It Might Get Loud’ starring mega guitarists Jimmy Page, Jack White and The Edge.

Images from ‘It Might Get Loud’: Jack White and Jimmy Page having a strum

Video: the 2009 trailer for ‘It Might Get Loud’

Photography: Live! BP Fallon & band l to r Aaron Lee Tasjan, Clem Burke, BPF & Nigel Harrison by Bob Gruen

“Fallon takes the stage armed with his notebook of lyrics, akin to a loaded weapon. He unleashes a torrent of words backed by Clem Burke providing the beat which slowly becomes ‘Gloria’, with the crowd singing along…”

Read more inc tales of Lemmy in TRASH

Photography: After the gig, BP Fallon & band & friends l to r Clem Burke, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Michael Des Barres, BPF, Lenny Kaye & Nigel Harrison by Bob Gruen

Photography: DJs BP Fallon & Agyness Deyn & Elvis @ Death Disco Toronto: You Are Here

Photography: DJ Aggy rockin’ it mega @ Death Disco Toronto by BPF

Photography: Audience vibe @ Death Disco Toronto by BPF

It was off the radar and beyond brilliant.

Death Disco loves you x

Death Disco says thank you Shaun Pilot & Matt Holloway & Vito, Milka, The Liberty Group and rock’n'roll.

More grooving often-out-of-focus Death Disco Toronto pix & Aggy on MTV

The first DDT review, plus pix: “Either way it was an awesome night”

TONIGHT IN TEXAS AT SXSW!
BP Fallon and his band are Special Guests at the Rajiworld-presented Victoria Williams Sweet Relief benefit at Jovita’s, 1619 First Street, Austin, TX. They take the stage at 6.30pm, after Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s and the Michael Des Barres truth revue.

By Jennifer Brandon:

Now BP Fallon. Where do I even begin? A small, wee Irishman with shining skin, a mischievous smile, armed with a notebook of intense lyrical poems on the direction of pop culture and commentary on what’s happened to rock’n'roll.

Flanked by Blondie’s rhythm section (Clem Burke on drums and Nigel Harrison on bass) and lead guitarist Aaron Lee Tasjan (who has played with The New York Dolls), BP set out to jostle the minds of his audience.

Go to his site to listen to the Jack White-produced ‘I Believe in Elvis Presley’. It doesn’t demonstrate the insanity of seeing the guy live though. He really was provocative and old school. Another pleasant surprise and super fun.

- taken from Jennifer Brandon’s review of the Rare Magazine-presented Austin Fleadh [festival in Gaelic] curated by Frank Murray, the legendary Irish manager behind The Pogues.

Read Jennifer’s full report and see more photographs in Southern Exposure

Photography of BP Fallon and his beat combo by Jennifer Brandon and David Weaver with much thanx

BP Fallon and his band make their world debut in Texas at SXSW in Austin today March 17.

Their first-ever appearance happens just before BP takes the decks to DJ at Death Disco Texas.

Fronted by BP Fallon (vox), lead guitarist Aaron Lee Tasjan has played with The New York Dolls and the four-piece are powered by the Rock’n'Roll Hall Of Fame-inducted Blondie rhythm section of Nigel Harrison (bass) and Clem Burke (drums).

Joining BP and his band are The Mighty Stef among the additional hot combos.

Date: March 17 St Patrick’s night.
BPF combo stage time: 7.30pm immediately prior to BP Fallon DJing at Death Disco Texas as part of Frank Murray’s First Annual Fleadh.
Venue: The 4th St Fort, 216 4th Street @ San Jacinta, Austin, Texas.
Event starts midday to 10pm Sponsored by Guinness. FREE ADM!!! Fuck yeah.

Photography: BP Fallon by Mark Nixon. This photograph is the winner of ‘Best Portrait Image’ in the National Photographic Awards Ireland 2010

THE OZONE: AN ANTISOCIAL DIARY
By Olaf Tyaransen
The Evening Herald

Monday

Back in the daze before OZone became a respected, feared and smart-arsed Herald columnist, my main gig was as a respected, feared and smart-arsed rock journalist. So it was with much interest that I picked up veteran NME scribe Nick Kent’s just published memoir of the 1970s, Apathy for the Devil (the title coming from a sneered comment by Bob Dylan when asked for his opinion on the Rolling Stones’ mid-70s career).

I’ve never met Kent, but I’ve always liked his writing. Legendary Irish rock guru BP Fallon, who first introduced him to Bowie and Led Zeppelin, is mentioned several times (“a peculiar but not charmless little man who looked like a glam-rock leprechaun and spoke like an effete Irish hobbit”).

I give Beep a call to let him know he’s name-checked in the book. “I always liked Nick,” he tells me. “He was a real leftfield lunatic. I haven’t seen him in many full moons, though. I’m very pleased that he’s able to write books because at one point it seemed he couldn’t write his own name.”

Having recently released his debut single Fame #9 produced by Jack White, Beep tells me that his new band will be making their live world debut in Austin, Texas, on St. Patrick’s Day at the SXSW music festival. It’s quite some crew – his lead guitarist is Aaron Lee Tasjan who has played with the New York Dolls and the rhythm section is comprised of Blondie’s Clem Burke and Nigel Harrison.

“I’m the new Debbie Harry,” Beep laughs.

Aaron Lee Tasjan believes in Elvis Presley by BP Fallon in Nevada

Jack White is having Texas-sized 45s of all the singles released on his Third Man Records label pressed up to be exclusively on sale at the Third Man Record’s pop-up shop at SXSW in Austin.

Thus BP Fallon’s ‘Fame #9′ 7″ 45 will now also be a proud 8″ of circular black vinyl.

Third Man Records LPs will be available as Texas-sized 13″ platters.

Says BP: “It’s all beyond amazing. I mean, to be on the same label as Wanda Jackson and Karen Elson, apart from all the other benign boogaloo…”

Robert Plant & BP Fallon & evidence, Abbey Road recording studios London Feb 25 2010

Robert Plant was singing at Abbey Road studios in London in aid of Cancer Research, the charity driven by Bob Harris who once had cancer. It was an amazing evening. Over £200,000 was raised.

Full review here of an extraordinary night from the Led Zeppelin magazine ‘Tight But Loose’ by the editor Dave Lewis

Robert Plant, after singing with a 76-voice choir – singing the Scott Walker opus ‘Farmer In The City’ and then ‘I Bid You Goodnight’ from The Incredible String Band’s ‘A Very Cellular Song’ with Nigel Eaton on the hurdy gurdy, all magnicent stuff, Robert singing so fucking soulful – after that Robert says to BP “There’s this book someone left for me to sign. There’s a picture of us back then. We must get our picture taken with it”. So they do.

Evidence: BP Fallon & Robert Plant & Vanessa Gilbert meet the snake & the snake man, the balcony of The Continental Hyatt House, Sunset Strip, West Hollywood May 1973. Photograph from ‘Led Zeppelin – The illustrated Biography’ by Gareth Thomas.

February 12th 1970 saw BBC TV’s ‘Top Of The Pops’ first broadcast of the classic performance of ‘Instant Karma’ by John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band with – from left to right – John Lennon [vocals & piano], Yoko Ono [knitting & Kotex eyewear], the Beatles’ road manager Mal Evans [tambourine], BP Fallon [bass guitar & hat], the Apple Records official House Hippy Richard DiLello [camera], Klaus Voorman [bass guitar] and Alan White [drums].

‘Instant Karma’ produced by Phil Spector.

The following week John Lennon was to be heard being interviewed on BBC radio by Emperor Rosko and telling his host “BP Fallon playing the bass guitar, that’s concept art”.

“I can’t play bass” says BP today, laughing, “but it’s better than whacking a tambourine into John’s left ear and almost putting him off his singing”. Which – as our next two pictures show – is what BP did the previous week on the Top Of The Pops of February 5th 1970…

Instant Karma: John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band TOTP Feb 5th 1970

Poets Of Rhythm, Art From The Heart, People For Peace:
Yoko & John with Peter Fallon and Eamon Carr’s Tara Telephone
‘Capella’ publication, the very edition – ‘Capella 3′ – that contained the drawing that John Lennon had done for ‘Capella’ the previous year at his and Yoko’s Amsterdam Bed-In.
‘Capella 3′ cover artwork by Jim Fitzpatrick.
Yoko & John photographed 1970 by Richard DiLello.
Photograph printed 1970 by Pete Saunders for Peter Fallon.

“And we all shine on…”

Photography: A Misfit, a Teddy Bear and flowers, Strawberry Fields Central Park New York City by BP Fallon

eBay has revealed this little bargain:

BP Fallon’s ‘Fame #9′ rare white, yellow and black tricolour vinyl 7″ 45 – only 150 of these records were pressed at United Record Pressing in Nashville with 100 sold in person at the Third Man Records store in Nashville at $5 each and 50 of these tricolour singles inserted randomly into world-wide mail-orders…

This tricolour ‘Fame #9′ 7″ baby is only $149.99 plus shipping!
Cheap at half the price.

We’re very happy with our black vinyl one – $5 plus shipping

Or the three fab tracks on iTunes this very second for 2.97

We’re happy anyway. We wish you the same. Happy everything.

Image: Wax into gold – BPF ‘Fame #9′ rare tricolour vinyl 7″ 45 single.
Image (top): 4 X 4 on Third Man Records – top left clockwise -
Wanda Jackson, BP Fallon, The Black Belles and Carl Sagan.
The original Third Man Records sleeves for Wanda/BP/BBelles:
Photography by Jo McCaughey

You asked to hear it again, we’re happy to give it to you!

BP Fallon: “It’s kinda a sick subject but it’s serious too,
the brown bread boogie”.

Photography: BPF

BP Fallon & Dave Fanning present
‘IS DEATH A GOOD CAREER MOVE IN ROCK’N'ROLL?’
RTE Radio 2FM (75:00)

The Players & What Was Played When

00:00 – Dave says “Shut up!” and BP says “Why am I getting echo?”
00:26 – Rock’n'Roll – Led Zeppelin
04:04 – I Wanna Be Your Dog – The Stooges
07:08 – Fallon & Fanning: John Bonham and ‘Starship’ and Ron Asheton
and “the lonely and sad death of Kurt Cobain”
11:50 – The Man Who Sold The World – Nirvana
15:24 – Fallon on Fanning: Courtney in the Hole and Bobby Fuller on fire
18:10 – I Fought The Law – The Bobby Fuller Four
19:21 – I Fought The Law – The Clash
21:54 – Fallon on Fanning: Strummerville and Buddy Holly and King Curtis
24:27 – Reminiscing – Buddy Holly & King Curtis
26:22 – Fallon on Fanning: “The most obnoxious group ever, Queen”
plus Richie Valens and Zeppo and Mrs Valens and Dr John
30:20 – Spanish Stroll – Willie De Ville
32:58 – Fallon & Fanning: Willie De Ville
33:50 – The Wizard – Johnny Thunders w/ BP Fallon (harmonica/vox)
35:36 – Fallon & Fanning: “Hold on a second now!” says Dave and BP talks about Johnny Thunders and Chris Wood of Traffic and Phil Lynott and Steve Marriott
36:19 – Daddy Rolling Stone – Johnny Thunders & Phil Lynott & Steve Marriott plus Steve Jones & Paul Cook
39:17 – Fallon & Fanning & Marc Bolan
41:59 – 21st Century Stance – Marc Bolan & BP Fallon
44:16 – Fallon & Fanning: The Prophecies Of Sages Marc to Jimi to Henry McCullough
47:42 – Red House – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
51:25 – Fever – The Cramps
52:46 – Fallon & Fanning: Lux Interior & Bryan Gregory & Johnny Kidd & Mick Green
54:16 – Shot Of Rhythm’n'Blues – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates w/ Mick Green
55:20 – Fallon & Fanning & John Lennon
56:29 – I Am The Walrus – The Beatles
60:02 – Fallon on Fanning: plane-crashes & murders & “John Lennon and The Beatles changed the world with their attitude” to Michael Jackson RIP at The Apollo in Harlem
62:38 – I Want You Back – The Jackson 5
64:17 – Fallon on Fanning on ‘Death By Doctor’
65:35 – Little Sister (false starts) – Elvis Presley
67:35 – Fallon & Fanning: Elvis & Lady GaGa & ‘I Believe In Elvis Presley’
70:24 – I Believe In Elvis Presley – BP Fallon

Added bpfallon.com bonus track
Casting My Spell – The Pirates

The Pirates: Johnny Spence (bass/lead vox) & Mick Green
(guitar) & Frank Farley (drums). Mick Green RIP.