ALL HAIL NORTONIA!

Man...as has been said, last year at this time we were all together & all celebrating a miracle of modern times, Norton Records. It was an ecstatic long weekend of historic proportions, as is every day life for Billy & Miriam. These people are role models, figureheads, they are what i aspire to be...real, happy honest people that love what they do & love us. Crazy? Without a doubt, but hey? Aren't you? I met Miriam Linna in 1976 at a very early Cramps show & we started talking about her Flamin' Groovies button (I always remember her first words "The Flamin' Groovies! They're my number one!" with a little squeal...). I met Billy Miller A couple years later. Our worlds have collided endlessly through the decades, there's so many photos...
I have been privileged to go on so many Rock N Roll adventures with these people. Whether it be driving out to Randy Fuller's place, to Timothy Carey's house where the World's Greatest Sinner was filmed, All rushing to meet Big Daddy Roth in 1984, an almost teenage house party featuring Esquerita, or paying respects in forgotten graveyards to our icons, always leaving with a rare memento...i have to say i love these people. Their baby, Kicks Magazine/Norton Records/Kicks Books is as i said a miracle. They have given life to artists that were never ever recognized, ever. And given these people hope & fun & careers even. Wonderful memories that define their lives, certainly. We who are obsessed with the alternate side of pop culture are endlessly indebted to them for single-handedly seeking these people out and serving them to us on a 7 or 12 inch silver platter.I can't tell you how insane i felt sitting there watching half the Del-Aires in a VFW Hall somewhere in Florida with 8 or 10 elderly men & women in the middle of the afternoon all of us actually watching Miriam doing the Zombie Stomp all having a blast...these are my personal memories.
Seeing someone like this in tears standing on a pile of rubble that is in fact all of these loves/obsessions/memories/mementos is heartbreaking. I actually cried when i watched it. On a global level, there are people everywhere that love real Rock N Roll & Norton Records & NEED them to fix their day to day working lives. There are people that need this. We are those people! And now is our time to give back!
It's so hard to put into words just how important this is (I'm writing this off the top of my head so bear with me). Billy & Miriam have done endless benefits forever, Miriam goes long distances to visit sick icons & friends in the hospital, I guess I could go on & on but i know I'm preaching to the converted here.
The most important thing here is to HELP. And to know that no help is too small. It really adds up. After a disaster like this people tend to go back to their lives when there's no more news coverage & forget about it. But the victims have to go on still in the midst of the disaster. This is why WE ALL MUST KEEP POSTING OVER & OVER & OVER AGAIN TO HELP NORTON RECORDS. They need our help now more than ever. Donate 5 bucks a week! Make a tiny plan to do something & just follow through with it. It will make you feel good & you will help save A huge chunk of Rock N Roll.
The Dictators asked on a Norton Record, Who Will Save Rock N Roll? The answer is YOU! Do it.
Over & out-
Howie Pyro 11/2012

To donate go here: http://www.nortonrecords.com/home.php
To volunteer call the Norton office (718-789-4438) or Billy's cell (917) 671-7185 or email nortonrec@aol.com with the word Volunteer in the subject box.