Kicksville Confidential
November 23rd, 2011 by chocko
This new comic book features true torrid tales by Billy Miller and art by Avi Spivak. The book starts with the story of how Billy, a Brooklyn record dealer, met Miriam Linna, an avid record collector and The Cramps first drummer. The two really hit it off and eventually started Kicks magazine and then in 1986 began releasing some of the sickest, rarest tunes on their own label, Norton Records. Norton Records have been around for 25 years now and still going strong, releasing the best records around from all types of genres including rare rock n’ roll from the fifties and sixties, soul, rockabilly, jazz, garage band music and punk rock.
The book is busting at the seams with facts, profiles and outrageous stories about the artists on the Norton label such as Hasil Adkins, Esquerita, The Mighty Hannibal, Link Wray and Rudy Ray Moore to name a few. One of my favorite stories involved one of my favorite actors of all time…Rudy Ray Moore a.k.a. Dolemite! I never knew he started his career as a blues and R&B singer. I also enjoyed reading how The Mighty Hannibal stole a circus elephant and rode it through the streets of Manhattan. Reading about Esquerita and his street fight with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins was definitely a highlight too.
The art in the book is all in glorious black and white, but is very dense with a lot going on in the drawings and panels. The artist, Avi Spivak, also writes and draws a NYC music ‘zine titled “Human Being Lawnmower” where you can find band interviews and more of Avi’s comics. I’ve been a fan of his cartoons and drawings ever since seeing his art on punk rock flyers in NYC. I recommend buying this book and support stores that sell underground comics and keep digging in those dusty record store crates!
Tags: avi spivak, hasil adkins, norton records
Posted in art, comic books, music | Comments (0)
