So I'm driving down Staurt Street in Boston after picking up the Fat City Mail. As I cross Tremont Street towards Bennigans, a silver Mercedes with tinted windows and Florida license plates cuts in front of me. Judging by the direction it was coming, I had a feeling I knew who was behind the wheel so I didn't honk or get pissed -- which is surprising for me.

The Benz pulls up in a commercial vehicle spot in front of the BankofAmerica ATM just as I hit the light near Bennigans. Using my Spenser for Hire sleuthing skills, I peer back towards the ATM and who hops outta the car wearing stone washed jeans and a doo-rag? Manny F'ing Ramirez. He may have cut me off but he held the door to the ATM for a girl and let her cut in front. What a nice guy.

This experience was even more ridiculous than running into Doug Mirabelli in the D'Angelos in Malden Center three weeks ago.

 

So, we're covering the Red Sox Hot Stove, Cool Music benefit Saturday night at Fenway Park and I really wanted to get a quote from ESPN analyst and HSCM founder Peter Gammons for our upcoming piece. Man, what a mess! I thought I could wing it but ended up stammering like a dope. Way to be! An hour later at the after party my girlfriend tells Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein thta if she doesn't get his autograph I'm going to beat her. I think he believed the story. But at least they gave the press folks free pizza and wings. I had that going for me ... You can buy our new mag over at interpunk and with your help, we can outsell all the major label funded "punk mags" and those run by trust fund babies. Jay

Hey, if you're surfing over here from punknews.org, don't forget to check out our new issue. Read all about it at www.fatcityrockers.com Jay

Hey everybody! I’ve got some Fat City news for you. The magazine is finally in the can, proof reading and color matching the images. It’ll be ready for Red Sox opening day. You can peep a pic of the cover over at www.fatcityrockers.com. But that ain’t it. I have some big time news on our upcoming comp CD which will be available with fat City ..9. Our first CD was awesome but this one is gonna maul you like a chimp that’s pissed you didn’t bring it a birthday cake. Seriously. Why you ask? Because we have a … drum roll please … unreleased live JOE STRUMMER track. Yeah, that’s right. Joe Strummer, pal. How’d we score this? Well, I knew a guy who was working the soundboard at the Roxy in Boston when Joe rolled through with The Mescaleros and that guy knew I loved the song “Trash City.” Bing bang boom a CD of the track shows up in my mailbox three months later with that track. I lost it for a while but found it a few months back. Joe’s wife gave us the green light so now you can all enjoy it. The Strummer track is great but here are some of the other tracks. I’ve sequenced the first five tunes but a few haven’t come in yet so I’m hung up for now. A few of these stragglers are on this myspace list so c’mon kids! 1. Swingin’ Utters – “Where Are they Now?” (out of print) 2. The Methadones – “Examine” (unreleased) 3. Sabrina Stewart (ex-Flipsides) – “Fatal Hand” (unreleased) 4. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – “Trash City” (unreleased live) 5. Face to Face – “Blind” (demo) Far From Finished – “Shots Fired” (demo) These Lies – “Bad Blood” (demo) Dollyrots – “Alpha Mansion” [I think this is the track, we haven’t got it yet](unreleased) Gnarkill (featuring Jess and Bam Margera) – “I Got Erection” (remastered) Jess Margera of CKY (I think this is a solo track) – “U Blow” (unreleased) Gobshites – “2 Much 2 Drink” (self released) Darkbuster – “Fitzy Needs a Haircut” (unreleased) Chip Hanna (US Bombs, ex-One Man Army) – “London Calling” (self released) Jabbers – “High On Drugs” (Fan club only track) Street Dogs – “Unions & The Law” (remixed version) Kickovers – “Mascara Queen” (unreleased) Zambonis – “Just Play” (unreleased) Favorite Atomic Hero – “Sounds So Simple” (unreleased) Love Equals Death (ex-Tsunami Bomb) – song not yet sent So Fox (ex-Selby Tigers) – song not yet sent The Geezers (featuring Tim Burton of the Bosstones, Scott Abels of Hepcat/The Bastards and Roy Lozano (ex-Downset) – song not yet sent We may try to squeeze one more track on there by a band from the dirty south. If so, we’ll let ya know.

MySpace took down the cover of our 7th issue -- the one with Dr. Dot holding her boobs. I guess it was a bit too sexually suggestive although I've seen stuff just as bad slutting around on the site. Whatever. Just go to our website www.fatcityrockers.com to check it out. Cool? Jay

Hopefully, I'll have the final interview list for you this week ... just have to finalize one more and its out the door. And yes, the comp CD is STILL GOING STRONG! It'll be coupon style, just like the Dropkicks/Vandals split 7-inch. Check back Friday, jerks. Jay

Here's the deal: as you all understand by now, Fat City's website, fatcityrockers.com, has been missing two things: A. a message board and B. a mailing list that clears your junk filter. This solves both problems and I can work on it at the J-O-B in the downtime when my boss isn't over my shoulder and yelling at sports radio. This will NOT replace the formal site but will act as a teaser until formal updates are made. So there. Jay