What historically is Canada's most important contribution to Western civilization (or is it the decline of...)? I hear summa ya'll mumblin sumthin bout Tim Hortons from yer BarcaLoungers, but it's awfully hard'ta hear ya amateur frogs with all those fritter bits stuck in yer face masks. No... Nationalized Health care? No, no, I'm talkin about Rock 'N Roll, that's my kinda medicine. If yer noggin next wanders'ta Geddy Lee and his cronies, ya've got sum ill-info at the turnpike and need'ta head back from whence ya came, this off ramp isn't fer you. That lot have more in common with Bach than Rock. Kiddies, dear kiddies, I'm talkin about denim delinquent (though, it's a photo-finish with Simply Saucer) the much heralded (at least by one, Mr. Stigliano) 70's "rock-zine" which lasted a scant 7 issues even with'uh relocation'ta El Lay 3 issues in.
"Slippery" Jymn Parret and Mark "Spike" Jones (though interest in publication quickly waned fer the latter) were broadcastin the whatnots and knowhows on heavy metalloid music before most'uh you folks heard yer first Ramones rekkid. An assortment of other yahoos made contribs at points in time, includin our and your hero, Mr. Lester Bangs. Jymn's wife Dee Dee got in on the action too, literally, what with the odd offers from Iggy. Get a flash on Jymn's artwork duly, it's worth the visit alone.
It was'uh bare-knuckled blast at the then burgeoning suppose'ed rock cognoscenti who wanted'ta decode the meaning of the latest Dylan rekkid, in lieu of embracing the decades survived spirit of Rock 'N Roll. From diggin in'ta the recent past, to catchin the future infamous, all points were covered. Gab sessions and views on The Kinks, New York Dolls, The Seeds, Alice Cooper, Canadian partisans The Ugly Ducklings and The Haunted brimmed the pages. The boys even had the insight'ta interview our recently passed geetar hero, Ron Asheton in issue 4.
Like many of the revered fanzines/"rock-zines" of the heavy 70's, it's a collector's market and findin summa those old tomes can often catch'uh princely sum. Luckily for us, Mr. Parret has a denim delinquent inter-nerd site with hi-res scans of features and articles spannin the spectrum of his output. Go check him out at http://www.denimdelinquent.net !
Like long-time denim delinquent supporter Greg Shaw said before his passing, "It's not very scholarly." But goddamn if it isn't fun'ta read.
