rip

greg shaw

for those of you who, like me, didn't know who greg shaw was, try this:

[www.bomp.com]

what happened, michael?

suffered a coma from complications to longish battle with pancreas disease (or liver); i have to think that IR was buds with him

i only met greg a few times. he was putting out a great rock fanzine before trouser press existeed, and i admired the **** out of what he did. i would call him a major influence.

back in the day (when both TP and Bomp were magazines), we were sort of rivals, not in a bad way, but I always watched what he did with respect and occasional envy. but where he truly excelled, i think, was in signing bands. Take a look at the Bomp label catalog and you'll be shocked at how many important acts got their first vinyl out under his auspices.

Respect and best wishes to Susie and Paul.

a VERY partial list

the classic iggy/williamson singles
deviants/m farren
nikki sudden
flesheaters
shoes
20/20
flamin' groovies
brian jonestown massacre
willie alexander
modern lovers
warlocks
dead boys

think 70's rock would sound a little diff, for the worse?

this, obviously, does not include his achival and revival psych/garage re-prints that along with nuggets REALLY changed the landscape, forever.

another profound thanks goes to Bomp's celebration and selling of vital books--insiders like Barry Miles, Mick Farren, and Oldham were always treated with respect while solid dudes like savage, mendelsson, and the underrated jonathon green had a place to promote their wares, pre-amazon and pre-half.com.

very well said by a friend of mine:

From Shake6677@aol.com
Sent Friday, October 22, 2004 1:00 pm
To Shake6677@aol.com
Subject GREG SHAW r.i.p.
greg,

thank you for turning me on to so much great music over the years, through both bomp! the record label and magazine (i only have a few issues, but i treasure them dearly). thank you too for the great voxx label. thank you for sending me so much great music back when i was publishing sound views. thank you for the bomp-list, where i've met so many amazing people over the years. thank you for the wonderful correspondence over the years. thank you for giving your blessings to the bomp! night we did at my club -- i wish i could have told you how proud i was to be able to have hosted a "bomp! night," as you were/are such an influence on my bar, and me personally.

thank you for... the stooges - "i got a right" ep (my very first bomp!
purchase, which i scored at the old venus records), the pebbles lps, the baracudas, the pandoras, vertebrats' "left in the dark," miracle workers, the zeros, flamin' groovies' "you tore me down" 45, the high in the mid-'60s lps, the embrooks - our new day lp, the dmz 12", the plimsouls - "a million miles away," the crawdaddys, the nashville ramblers - "the trains," spacemen 3, the weirdos "life of crime" 45, the original modern lovers lp, brian jonestown massacre, the last - l.a. explosion lp, tell tale hearts, lazy cowgirls - taping the source lp, english freakbeat lps, and on and on and on and on.

you will be missed but never forgotten!!!

lee
---
[magneticbrooklyn.com]
[profiles.myspace.com]

Two things I'd like to add here:
(1) copy of a message that's being disseminated by the Shaw family, and
(2) some words written by Greg - I believe on the occasion the Bomp label's 25th Anniversary in 1999:

---------------------------------------------

Dear Friends,

It is with deepest regret that I must tell you that my husband, Greg Shaw, passed away in the hospital Tuesday night.

Greg had a vibrant spirit, but his physical health was always fragile. Last week, for reasons that are unclear, he developed an extremely high blood sugar and was rushed to the hospital. The level of blood sugar was so high that all of Greg’s vital functions were subjected to trauma, and he developed complications as a result. Nevertheless, for several days he remained in stable condition. He was conscious the entire time, and his doctors were quite optimistic that he would recover. Sadly and shockingly, he went into cardiac arrest on Tuesday night around 11:30pm. The wonderful people at the hospital worked for a long time to try and save him, and Greg fought very hard too. He was tenacious to the end.

Greg was given the very best care, and during his stay in the hospital he had the constant love and support of his family. His passing was not gentle, but I am comforted by the feeling that he is now at peace and free of all pain.

Tristan and I are grateful for the sympathy and support we have already received, and we ask for your prayers for Greg and for us throughout this difficult time. We also send our condolences to everyone who is sharing our grief.

Very best wishes to all of you,

Phoebe Shaw
Tristan Shaw

-------------------------------------------------

"I guess I'd most like Bomp to be remembered as a label utterly dedicated to the people who care most about music: the fans and collectors. I think it comes down to the fact that Bomp is an outgrowth of my love for music. Where many would view it as a marginal business that barely breaks even, I prefer to see it as a hobby that's profitable enough to allow me to build my life around it. The opportunity to make more money elsewhere has never once tempted me - but it HAS drawn many talented people AWAY from this business.

"But we're still here, doing what we want, on our own terms, answering to nobody, dealing with people in an old-fashioned "mom and pop" kind of way. It's a satisfying life that I'd NEVER trade for, say, David Geffen's.

"If nothing else, maybe we've set an example that might offer an alternative to this increasingly corporate, impersonal society. Or maybe not. At least we've had a good time trying.

"and we're not done yet."

for GS's early mojo fanzine

[www.rockmine.music.co.uk]

need adobe