I didn’t plan on starting this report with sad news but this week I learned of the death of singer/songwriter Nikki Sudden, known for bands the Swell Maps, the Jacobites, and his many solo recordings.

The Jacobites were one of those bands that made me stop in my tracks when I first heard them at a friend’s house around 1987. It was one of the those moments of “who is THAT?!” I was instantly hooked on their jangly, English blues ala the Stones with a kick of Johnny Thunders and the unusual harmonies of Sudden’s nasal Dylan-esque twang and partner Dave Kusworth’s sweet balladry. I scoured record stores until I amassed a collection of their recordings.

When Nikki came to LA to play a solo gig in 1998, I tracked him down to interview him for the Los Angeles Times and we got to know each other over drinks at the Cat ‘N’ Fiddle, the first of many cocktails we would share in years to come.

It was then that I learned the Nikki in person wasn’t much different than the person on those recordings and album covers. Always dressed in his trademark velvet and brocade suits, a long scarf tied around his neck, he basically lived out of a suitcase, going from city to city, a traveling minstrel, a vagabond poet, a tattered rock ‘n’ roll prince, spiced with hope and melancholy and an acoustic guitar to bang it all out.

Nikki never stopped thinking, never stopped creating. A prolific songwriter, he cranked out a new album nearly every year. Some might call him a workaholic, but for Nikki it was just his life, and his thoughts could not be contained. He was always “on”, whether it was jotting down lines of words, strumming his guitar, or having intense conversations with the many people he met along the way. “If you want to retain creativity, you’ve got to continue to be open to new things, keep that childlike naiveté. If you lose that, what else are you going to do – work in a bank?” he told me during our interview.

Nikki was a charmer for sure, but as easily as he appeared gentle and elegant, he could just as easily fall into fits of artistic stubbornness, his words often laced with cynicism and an occasional sharp tongue. Being in America often fed his cantankerous side, though his irrepressible wit always came through, and he made me laugh when he regarded all the food here as “Fatburgers.”

Our first encounter was a mere few months after his brother and Swell Maps partner Epic Soundtracks passed away, and Nikki remained forever haunted by the loss. But still he went on making music. He returned with the reunited Jacobites a few years later for a short tour starting with a gig in Orange County. I let the band crash in my apartment and it was then that I experienced the brilliant clashings that was the relationship of Nikki and Dave – a twisting tornado of cigarettes, Jack Daniels and general chaos that blows through town and turns everything upside down. I caught up with them on their last tour date in Las Vegas and watched their show in amazement, discovering that despite all the squabbling, the two always managed to shine once they hit the stage with their contrasting harmonies and romantic visions.

Sudden came around to LA again a couple of times after that, by this time he’d collected a following of friends that allowed him to hold court even in the dinginess of a club like the Garage. Still dressed in his ornate suits and scarves, guitar by his side, drink in one hand and smoke in the other, it’s an image that will remain forever.

The official word on his death is still sketchy. Reportedly, he collapsed following a show at New York’s Knitting Factory, I’m sure Nikki went out the way he wanted, after sharing his songs with his legion of fans, and dressed to the nines. I’m sure he’s holding court in rock ‘n’ roll heaven right now. Rest in peace Nikki, we’ll miss you.

For more on Nikki Sudden, go to the official web site at www.nikkisudden.com

I’m going to switch gears here and get on to what else has been happening in LA. Read on…

While theatrical musicals are all the rage in London and New York, they rarely hit the big time in Los Angeles. One ambitious company, Luna C. Productions, decided to take a shot at cracking tinsel town by staging, Quad a musical tribute to the Who’s Quadrophenia the movie. Since I have a good deal of mod floating my blood, I had to go check it out. Set in mid ‘60s London, this all-song interpretation follows the film’s story of teenage Jimmy (played by Steven Shareaux) in the throes of wrestling with his hip crowd of sharp-dressed mods, duking it our with the rough ‘n’ tough rockers, dealing with his parents and pining for the girl he loves. With incredibly well-done stage production (featuring giant scooter rearview mirrors, riveting screen and lighting affects, and a mock version of the Who in the background), the production does a good job of capturing the spirit and look of the period. However, with the story told through song alone and no dialogue, the plotline is muddled and difficult to follow. A little scripting could make the story really shine. But I have to say, the true star of the show is Shareaux, who trades off vocals with the other characters throughout the performance but in the end, proves he can belt out the numbers with a stunning voice and stage presence that brought the crowd to its feet during the finale “Love, Reign O’er Me.” For any fan of the Who or the mod scene, this production is a must see. To find out about upcoming performances, check out the web site: www.quadtribute.com

I dropped by the MOCA Gallery in Pacific Design Center and was lucky enough to catch a short-film exhibit by South African artist William Kentridge whose quirky black & white films mix his drawings and himself into charming, fast-paced reels that may leave you scratching your head at their mind-boggling antics. On this particular Sunday, Kentridge was giving a lecture on his work in the Design Center’s screening room where he spoke of his inspirations both artistically and politically and how the two are often blurred. You can find out more about William Kentridge in his books and don’t miss him next time he is in town.

While Los Angeles is working towards having some sort of workable mass transit system that is actually convenient for everyone to use (here’s a suggestion, more stations so you don’t have to take the bus to get to your final destination!) I decided to check out a few of the available rides by hopping aboard the Metro Art Tour. With a free all day pass, a docent takes you station to station where you’ll learn the history behind the art design of each locale – such as the N. Hollywood station which features murals of area icons including Amelia Earhart and western clothing designer Nudie; the Hollywood and Vine station with its nod to filmmaking and the “Wizard of Oz”; and the Hollywood and Highland station with its voluptuous metal curves that are sexy yet modern. The tour is free and a fun way to spend your weekend morning. You may even discover a rail that will get you where you need to go. Check it out at: mta.net/about_us/metroart

Too tired or too broke to go out rockin’ the town? Then stay in and get your fix with Rock ‘n’ Roll TV, an online TV show brought to you by rockin’ couple Share Ross (of the bands Bubble and Vixen fame) and husband Bam (of Bubble and Dog D’Amour fame). You’ll catch some cool bands and see clips of recent gigs around town, catch interviews and candid moments backstage, get the low down on cool underground happenings such as what’s for sale at the bazaar bizarre, meet a chick who specializes in sex toys, and see Share get a new tattoo at the Vintage Tattoo Art Parlour! So curl up on the couch and stay in with: www.rocknrolltv.net

And while you’ve got a date with your computer, head on over to www.youtube.com where you can type in almost any band name and find someone has posted live footage of them. I’ve been having great fun digging up old Ramones footage, seeing promo clips of London’s death rock club The Batcave, and watching the notorious Sex Pistols interview on the Bill Grundy show! And if you never got a chance to see Nikki Sudden live, you’ll find him there as well. (youtube.com/watch?v=Qnaz56JdJG4). This site is downright addictive. See some great concerts – without ever leaving your house!

Sieze the day and rock it any way you can,
K.

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