Let’s hear it for those tireless rock fanatics who pour their hearts and souls into letting the world know about new music…and manage to be politically conscious in the process. Christine Natanael, ediatrix-in-chief of Crusher magazine is one of ‘em. Christine and I met awhile back when she took me to see Ministry at Irving Plaza last fall. Our NYC homeboy Tommy Victor from Prong was shredding it on guitar. I danced my face off.

For my interview with Crusher, Christine chose Crusher’s London writer Alissa Ordabai, because Alissa’s also a guitar player and gets all that guitar geek stuff. We got deep into it about female guitarists, the metaphysics of the blues, Camille Paglia and, oh yeah, the Get Free album.

Someone recently asked me why I’ve called Devi’s debut album Get Free. Here’s the story. One birthday a friend handed me a slim book titled Zen Guitar. The author’s name was Philip Toshio Sudo.

“That’s funny,” I thought, “I used to know a Phil Sudo.” I turned the book over and read that Sudo was a musician living in Maui with his wife and children. Couldn’t be the same guy. The Phil Sudo I knew was almost certainly still fidgeting miserably at his desk at American Banker newspaper.

That’s where I’d last seen him, back when I was a punk rock guitar player who freelanced for AB to pay for my East Village rathole. I’d traipse in to see the editor, ignoring the reporters snickering at my thrift-store dress and Doc Martens.

I crushed on New Orleans music from the moment I heard Dr. John growling “I was in the right place, but it musta been the wrong time” when I was a little kid, lolling in the sun listening to my yellow ball-shaped radio. Then I heard Lee Dorsey (”ride your pony, get on your pony and ride”) and fell helplessly in love.

When I wrote The Language of the Blues (foreword by Dr. John!) I discovered that the Vodou religion is the pulse of that fonky beat. Some people might’ve hoped for Vodou to have been washed away by Hurricane Katrina, but it’s the strength of the city and it’s coming back. Check out my story for HeadCount on the upcoming Anbo Dlo festival and interview with priestess Sallie Glassman. And groove to the Night Tripper and the Meters.

In honor of those who died on 9/11 and those battling 9/11-related illnesses, here’s a free download of the Devi song “Welcome to the Boneyard” and an important video from George Tabb, one of many Ground Zero volunteers and recovery workers with severely compromised health.

The morning of 9/11/2001, I was heading out the door of my Hoboken apartment to meet a friend when I flipped on the radio and heard that a bomb had gone off at the World Trade Center. I came back inside and turned on the TV. I watched in shock as smoke poured out of the north tower, thinking this was some terrible accident…then I saw the second plane ram into the south tower. When the north tower imploded and crumbled into a cloud of dust, I ran outside, jumped onto my bike and rode to the riverfront, with some vague idea of praying for the people who had just been immolated. By the time I got there, I saw not one, but two massive white clouds across the river. The south tower had just fallen, too. A young Indian man standing next to me said “my aunt and uncle work in that tower.”

Psst…wanna see some cheesecake? That’s what my Dad calls any photo of me that is remotely salacious. As in “No more cheesecake, please!”

Don’t tell my Dad but I’m The Rock and Roll Report’s September Triple R Girl. RRR says:  If you think this is a typical “babe of the month” thing you are sadly mistaken. The Triple R Girl celebrates some amazing women who exemplify rock and roll attitude.

As a former member of my high school debate team, I’m honored to be included. Oh, and check out the fit a male commentator threw on RRR about female musicians…and the verbal beatdown he received. Pretty funny.   [photo by Bob Schaffer]