Friday, March 6, 2009

CANADIAN CROWN CONTENDER...denim delinquent


What historically is Canada's most important contribution to Western civilization (or is it the decline of...)? I hear summa ya'll mumbling something about Tim Hortons from your 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 the prescription that feeds my needs. If yer noggin next wanders to Geddy Lee and his cronies,  you've got sum ill-info at the turnpike and must head back from whence ya came, this off ramp isn't for you. That lot have more in common with Bach than Rock. Kiddies, dear kiddies, I'm talking about denim delinquent (though, it's a photo-finish with Simply Saucer) the much heralded (at least by one, Mr Stigliano) 70's rockzine which lasted a scant 7 issues even with a relocation to El Lay 3 issues in. 

"Slippery" Jymn Parret and Mark "Spike" Jones (though interest in publication quickly waned for the latter) were broadcasting the whatnots and knowhows on heavy metalloid music before most of you folks heard yer first Ramones rekkid. An assortment of other yahoos made contribs at points in time, including 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 a bare-knuckled blast at the then burgeoning supposed rock cognoscenti who wanted to decode the meaning of the latest Dylan rekkid, in lieu of embracing the decades survived spirit of rock'n'roll. From diggin' into the recent past, to catching 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 to interview our recently passed geetar hero, Ron Asheton in issue 4. 

Like many of the revered fanzines/rockzines of the heavy 70's, it's a collector's market and finding 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 spanning 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 a stone-blast to read. 

note energy (\ˈnōt\ \ˈe-nər-jē\ )
:spiritual sustenance provided by the perfect combination of notes and words, bringing about the sensation of excitation