Jennifer "Miro" Anderson, singer of San Francisco's early punk band The Nuns, passed away at the age of 54 on December 16th in New York City as a result of complications from cancer. 

Getting their start in Marin, The Nuns began performing in the San Francisco in 1976 when they made their debut at the Mabuhay Gardens. By 1978, they had a show at Winterland Ballroom with The Avengers and Sex Pistols. The band split just a year later, but reunited in 1986 and again in 1997 with a more goth rock sheen. By this point, Jennifer Miro had become a popular fetish model and an aspiring screenwriter. Eventually, she went to work for a law office.

Despite suffering from both liver and lung cancer, Miro denied conventional treatment and painkillers, opting for exercise and homeopathic paths. 

Here is a clip from The Nun’s show at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco in 1978.

At any given time, diehard Phil Lynott fans can find good reason to visit Dublin, Ireland -- but recently the incentive to visit the late great Thin Lizzy singer's hometown has increased greatly due to the ongoing Philip Lynott Exhibition, an impressive, large scale and reverential expo dedicated to the iconic Irish rock figure.

Since his premature death 25 years ago Lizzy fanatics (and there are many) have been making pilgrimages to Lynott's grave in Saint Fintan’s Cemetery in Sutton (8 miles north of Dublin City centre on the Howth Peninsula) and placing flowers and sundry Thin Lizzy memorabilia by the singer's headstone which, fittingly, is designed by Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick, whose traditional Celtic designs graced the covers of many Lizzy records such as Vagabonds of the Western World and Johnny The Fox.

Another major attraction in Dublin for Lynott/Lizzy fans is the life size bronze statue (above with temporary Amoeba sticker) of Lynott leaning on his guitar outside outside Bruxelles pub on Harry Street just off Grafton Street -- a high foot traffic Dublin city centre thoroughfare. Since it was erected six years ago the statue's draw has matched that of monuments and statues dedicated to key Irish historical figures. Similarly, Phil Lynott's figure at the Dublin Waxwork Museum is one of its most popular attractions. But it is the ongoing exhibit, which runs through next month, that has been the most rewarding shrine of all for the legions of visiting Lizzy/Lynott fanatics.

Meanwhile, among the other 22 acts scheduled (two more than on the flyer) to perform at Amoebapalooza Hollywood tomorrow night are Ben Ricci, The Sonnets, The Zombie Zombies, and Flathead. Click here for more info on Amoebapalooza Hollywood 09.

Former Sex Pistols front man Johnny "Rotten" Lydon's recent TV commercial in the UK for Country Life Butter has had a mixed response by fans of the man's music. Some laugh off the ad (above) which was unveiled in October as just a bit of fun and a way for the musician to make some needed funds. Others, including JAMsponge, who made the song/video "I Can't Believe Johnny Rotten Has Done an Advert for Butter" below, are outraged by the former poster boy for anarchy in the UK who they accuse of "selling out." 

As recently reported by the BBC, the remaining members of the Sex Pistols (John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon, Steve Jones, and Paul Cook) will reunite for a concert in London, England on November 8th this year to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of their punk rock classic and modern music history-changing 1977 album Never Mind The Bollocks....Here's the Sex Pistols. This will not be the first time the band has reformed since its abrupt break up in January 1978 in San Francisco at the end of their one and only US tour, or since Sid Vicious died of a drug overdose in 1979.

Eleven years ago the Sex Pistols reformed for the 1996 Filthy Lucre Tour, which included dates in the States, Europe, Australia, Japan, and other countries. They also reformed and performed in 2002, which coincidentally was the year of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The makers of "God Save The Queen" performed that year at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London. And most recently, the Sex Pistols performed in 2003 when they did a brief 3-week tour of the US which they fondly titled the Piss Off Tour.

There are numerous books and chapters in books written about the Pistols. In terms of video footage, the best full-length piece is The Filth and the Fury, the Julien Temple 2000 documentary which you should find on DVD at Amoeba Music. It's really amazingly engaging and educational and well worth owning. Of the countless controversial interviews that the Sex Pistols, and in particular the brilliant John Lydon, have conducted, two are included below. These are the infamous British Thames TV interview with Bill Grundy back in Januray 1976 (that includes a very young Siouxse Sioux), and the more recent John Lydon interview from last year with Jimmy Kimmel in which he tells it like it is in reaction to being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Lydon and,the other two surviving members promptly turned the offer down, vocally dismissing it as an "obscene gesture." Check out both video clips. They're great!