The Gala – Bad News (Dead Beat Records)

No great surprise to see The Gala hailing from Boston seeing as the place seems to just ooze quality Garage punk rock and Power Pop and the Gala are all those things.  Raw guitar riffs and swirling keyboard licks all wrapped up in songs with energy and melody.

 

Emily Doran has a rasp on her vocals they’re not sugary sweet nor are they rough as Wendy O Williams but somewhere in between as one track body slams into the next with songs like ‘Blood Orange’ having a hypnotic riff and that Captain Sensible two-fingered keyboard lick and some fine tunage is born.

Once it finishes ‘Crybaby (Dream Of Me)’ kicks in sounding like early Blondie a little which is a great place to find yourself trust me. But the Gala isn’t a one trick pony because ‘Fragile’ is a neat slice of punk rock or New Wave punk pop if you like.  It fizzes along on a rock solid drum beat and the throbbing bass line is cool with just the right amount of keyboard stabs on the chorus but don’t get too comfortable because what did you expect Shes Fuckin’ Fragile.  Alright, we’ll have some of that and its a great scream at the end.

‘Boy’ is sweaty and the highlight of a very enjoyable record as it builds to the chorus.  To be fair as far as debut albums go this ones very decent with a great ebb and flow to the whole record, At times they have the organ stabs of The Fuzztones but the rhythm and distorted guitar is way more punk rock Ramones style at times I heard Lena Lovich fronting Da Brothers which is a weird proposition I’m sure you’d agree but that’s where this is pitching itself at times.

I like the rawness of the guitar its got plenty of punch and is often at odds with the keyboards on tracks like the Abrasive ‘Blood Orange’ it then has the keyboard melody whilst the rest of the song speeds off in another direction – that’s not to say I don’t like it because that’s not the case but it does take some getting used to.  With no new video ready you’re going to have to take my word for it.

 

To end the record the band take you on a punky ‘Pity Party’ but end the record with a really strong song in the shape of the hard rocking ‘The Spins’ that has a great pogo riff that makes you want to curl your hand into a fist and start pumping the air as the band rocks out showing they’re most certainly not a one trick pony and can dance to a few styles and its a great vocal delivery to end on as well. So remember the name and its safe to say it’s not all ‘Bad News’ because The Gala brings some good news.

 

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Author: Dom Daley

Bernie Tormé – ‘Lightning Strikes – Volume One (1982-1983)’ (HNE Recordings/Cherry Red Records)

Bernie Tormé was one of my first ever guitar heroes. He in some way took the genres of punk and hard rock and made the songs he played on sound like something altogether different, then when it came to his image Bernie looked like no one else on the rock scene back in in the early eighties, in fact he looked more like a cast member of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy than a bullet belted jeans and t shirt rocker. And in my teenage mind this meant everything. Bernie Tormé (as some singer would later declare on live TV) really was a STAR.

When I caught up with Bernie for a chat at the very first Hard Rock Hell festival all the way back in 2007 that tired old adage of “never meet your heroes” never entered into my head, being introduced to the man by his then fellow GMT band mate John McCoy (yup THE John McCoy) with strict prior instructions to tell Bernie just how much his music and playing had meant to me growing up. I soon found that the cocksure Wild Irish six stringer I’d only ever previously seen flaunting his insane talent on stage was anything but that off it. Bernie was initially shy and oh so humble in my presence, but once he’d relaxed into our conversation he opened up about his time being the hippy on the punk scene and playing the Vortex, then becoming the punk in the hard rock band Gillan, before then regaling me with tales of his brief time with Ozzy, his (in my eyes at least) perhaps finest hour in Tormé (with Phil Lewis) and then his time with Dee Snider and Clive Burr in metal supergroup Desperado.

I’m, getting ahead of myself here though, because this four CD box set released via HNE Recordings/Cherry Red Records (the first in a series of such Bernie boxes I’m lead to believe) covers the years 1982 to 1983 and includes the two studio albums Bernie released during this time, initially solo whilst he was still a member of Gillan and then following his departure from that band alongside his bandmates as the Electric Gypsies. Together with these discs we also get two live albums from 1983. It was around that time I also saw Bernie live for the very first time and his ferocious playing that night saw him not only cut his hand but also bleed all over my Wrangler jacket, something that in 2007 Bernie not only apologised for but also offered to pay to get cleaned. A sincere gesture that still makes me smile to this very day.

Something that also makes me smile (a hell of a lot) is the album that kick starts this box set, 1982’s ‘Turn Out The Lights’. It’s a record that at the time confused quite a few of us hard rockers, not least because after the initial Gillan-esque bluster of the opening title track and the album’s only single, up next was a tune most of us had grown up knowing as being by Boney M. All these years on of course I now know ‘Painter Man’ was originally a ‘60s hit for The Creation, but there’s nothing quite like hearing your guitar hero in an all-new context to shake up the senses. Looking back now I can see it was really no different to what Gillan had been doing with their series of cover versions something that had provided them with UK chart hits and saw the band making several appearances on Top Of The Pops. Elsewhere, ‘Turn Out The Lights’ is an interesting mix of up-tempo hard rockers like ‘America’ and ‘Lies’ mixed up with the more elaborate songwriting of ‘Possession’ (which is still my favourite song on the record) and then there’s the brooding instrumental ‘Inda’. I do wonder what Gillan (the band) might have done with some of these songs and what Ian himself might have made of covering the Velvet Underground/Nico’s ‘Chelsea Girls’.

The version of ‘Turn Out The Lights’ included here not only contains the three bonus ‘Back With The Boys’ tracks that were included on Bernie’s very own Retrowrek Records’ version of the album but also adds a live rehearsal of ‘Chelsea Girls’ from 1982 alongside an also previously unreleased version of ‘Boney Maroney’ from 1979?, which I’m actually quite happy to turn a blind eye to timeline wise as it’s a top notch version.

Moving on to the box set’s second disc and 1983’s ‘Electric Gypsies’ album, and where ‘Turn Out The Lights’ had been an album recorded during Gillan downtime with the help of friends like Phil Spalding and Nigel Glockler, the nine tracks that make up this record were songs that the band had fully road tested before entering the studio. The Electric Gypsies at this point featuring one time Def Leppard and soon to be Waysted drummer Frank Noon alongside ex-Bethnal bassist Everton Williams, along with Bernie once again mashing up the musical genres to deliver his music vision. So, from the dive-bombing guitar histrionics of ‘Wild West’ through to pounding album closer ‘Go Go’ (which reminds me of something Gene Simmons would have written for KISS around the same time) ‘Electric Gypsies’ is much more a straight up hard rock record than its predecessor. With just the cover of The Troggs ‘I Can’t Control Myself’ and the acoustic ‘Presences’ proving to be the albums only musical curveballs this time around.

There’s a few nice surprises contained within this CD’s bonus tracks though, with this release adding two previously unreleased live cuts (a cover of the Stooges ‘Search & Destroy’ along with Bernie’s original version of the amazing ‘Star’) recorded in Paris back in 1982 to the already expanded Retrowrek Records’ version of the album that added five additional studio cuts to the running order, the pick of these for me being the much more poppy ‘New World’ which underlines the real depth of Bernie’s songwriting talents when he wasn’t just penning bluesy hard rockin’ anthems.

Just when things were really looking up for the Electric Gypsies a little thing called record company politics would soon rear its ugly head to put a stop to the band ultimately taking the next step up, something that would not only see the record delayed by a year before finally being released on a different label, but also see the band’s line up slowly disintegrate, something that saw the record also move from being promoted as a band record to being a Bernie Tormé solo album.    

With a series of live dates already booked Bernie urgently needed to find a new rhythm section to tour his new record so calling upon the talents of Stampede bassist Colin Bond and one time Iron Maiden drummer Ronnie Rebel this stop gap line up set off on a two week whirlwind trip around the UK and here on discs three and four we get to experience them in all their ragged glory.

CD three in this box set was originally released as ‘Bernie Tormé Live’ via Zebra Records back in 1984, but here it has its track listing expanded from seven to eleven tracks whilst CD four captures the same line up live at Sheffield Octagon, and this boasts the same thirteen song track listing as the version previously released digitally via Bernie’s Bandcamp page.

Both CDs are solid live accounts of the Bernie Tormé band back in 1983, and the bonus tracks tagged to the end of CD three are of particular interest to me, having never previously heard these versions before.

‘Lightning Strikes – Volume One (1982-1983)’ comes complete with the usual high-quality booklet/sleeve notes that you expect from HNE Recordings/Cherry Red Records releases, this one containing some stunning archive photography too.

This box set really set the bar high for any subsequent releases in this reappraisal of Bernie Tormé’s solo career go grab yourselves a copy when it hits the shelves on October 27th.      

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Author: Johnny Hayward

Plosivs – ‘Plosivs’ (Swami Records)

Seemingly not content with having already released one of the contenders for albums of the year in 2022 via his superb debut solo effort ‘Ride The Wild Wind’, the astoundingly talented John Reis is back to once again rock the RPM block, this time with the turbocharged ‘Plosivs’, the debut ten tracker from an all new supergroup, featuring singer/guitarist Rob Crow (Pinback), drummer Atom Willard (Against Me!, Rocket From the Crypt) and bassist Jordan Clark (Mrs. Magician) alongside Mr Reis on guitar.

Opener ‘Hit The Breaks’ sets the tone perfectly for what is about to follow over the next 30 odd minutes, and if you are a fan of Reis’s other non-RFTC bands, like Night Marchers, Hot Snakes or The Sultans, then this baby really is going to right up your Strasse. The guitars of Reis and Crow scorch the earth whilst the rhythm section of Clark and Willard send sonic shockwaves through the galaxy, yet it’s the soaring whilst still quite understated and very melodic vocals of Crow that actually first make me sit up and really take notice. There’s a huge slab of early 90s alt rock influence within his vocal tone that honestly had me checking the sleeve notes to make sure Jon Auer hadn’t been working under a pseudonym post the very public (and totally understandable) break-up of The Posies.

The boogie-tastic ‘Rose Waterfall’ is another joyous overload of melody, whilst the almost schizophrenic ‘Thrown Clear’ takes the listener on a rollercoaster ride of time changes and multiple vocal hooks that really shouldn’t work…but boy does it.

‘Never Likely’ is where the aforementioned Posies refence point is perhaps at its closest as it recalls a very special time in my life when ‘Frosting On The Beater’ was indeed perhaps the greatest thing I’d ever heard. 

The record’s lead track (and video) ‘Broken Eyes’ marks the album’s mid-point in a way that made me also recall a time when music that was called “Indie” really was just that, and most all, it was also exhilarating and fresh, whilst the other thing that strikes me about ‘Plosivs’ is that as it progresses it actually gets better and better.

I really don’t want to spoil the delights that wait for you when discovering this record for yourselves, but if you like Cheap Trick played by The Pixies then check out ‘Pines’ or if you just want to hear what a more melodic Hot Snakes might sound like then album closer ‘Bright’ is where you need to direct your attentions.

Everything about ‘Plosivs’ just sounds right, its one of those albums that when you first play it, it all just clicks into place, and thanks to the stellar sonics of Ben Moore (who also worked on Reiss’s ‘‘Ride The Wild Wind’) you also get a record that totally destroys everything in its path.

This really is essential stuff!

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Author: Johnny Hayward

Kris Rodgers & The Dirty Gems – Still Dirty’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Known as “rock n’ roll’s secret weapon”, band leader and frontman Kris ‘Fingers’ Rodgers has been a recording & touring sideman in top touring garage rock and power pop acts like The Connection, Scott Sorry, The New Trocaderos, Bullet Proof Lovers, and Kurt Baker Band for years but hes also more than that he’s a fully fledged solo artist or rather moved his stool out front, centre and headed up his own beat combo the Dirty Gems.

Born and raised a half-hour from the band’s home base of Portland, Maine, Kris Rodgers already had one full-length album and several EPs with The Dirty Gems under his belt before beginning work on ‘Still Dirty’ in 2019 (pre pandemic right). Recording commenced in bassist Ryan Halliburton’s basement, known as The Wreck Room. Along with guitarist Tom Hall and drummer Craig Sala, the four longtime bandmates tracked the bulk of the album right there. Drums and vocals for the nine original songs were re-recorded at two additional studios in Maine, and the energetic cover of Elton John’s “Take Me To The Pilot” was cut live in a pro studio environment.

Unlike previous releases where Rodgers wrote the original material himself, a more collaborative aproach was taken for this record I guess to show its a unit, a band in every sense of the word.

Having already been given the acolade of Stevie Van Zandt’s number one Coolest Song of the year.the time had come to add a little more history. Starting this tour off in funky town, with the vocoder and funky bass with added dueling jazzy solos Kris sings like hes wearing a cheshire cat smile on his face and this little ray of easy coast sunshine is up and running.  The songs keep coming and the smile gets wider as the party has started and the songs keep coming, ‘I Can Still Feel It’ rattles its two left feet into the more laid back ‘Can’t Give It’ with its cool shuffle on the backbeat of course its great musicianship and theres breathing space for all the players.

They can Rock out on ‘Don’t Look Back’ and they can kick back on the dreamy ‘Across The Galaxy’ sure its got middle of the road American Radio mainlined but why not? The Elton cover is a no brainer for this band as they effortlessly nail it.  But wait another change of pace with the peacock strut of ‘I’m Your Man’ – jees they get smooth for the jazzy shuffle of ‘Tortuga’ – nice!

Signing off this record theres the baladlike piano intro of ‘See You Later’.  Its not for everyone and people might raise an eyebrow as to how its found its way onto RPM Online but we don’t give a damn about all that genre jazz we like to champion great musicians and whist this record is a ray of sunshine the nex trelease could easily be a slice of down n dirty garage rock n roll thats the beauty of this business and talen like Rodgers and his Dirty Gems.  Fire up the BBQ and invite the famiy over and someone hit repeat and bring on the sunshine.

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Author: Dom Daley

ZION – A tribute by Gaz Tidey

When we all found out on the weekend via social media of the sad passing of Lord Zion I’ve thought about his passing and how we could pay tribute to a beautiful soul that touched several of us at RPM Online back in the early days of Uber Rock so I approached Gaz to put his feelings into words and pay a fitting tribute to Lord Zion.   I hope these words bring even a small amount of comfort to his partner Vikki and show how well respected he was and how his positive attitude had an effect on us all.  Rest in peace Zion.

 

“When news broke over the weekend that Lord Zion had passed away I, like every one of you I suspect, recoiled in both shock and horror. Then the sadness kicked in. Known to most as the frontman of SPiT LiKE THiS, and to many as one half of gloriously offensive T-shirt company, Smell Your Mum, Zion was once a member of a gang that we called the Uber Rock Massive; a group of clued-in music outsiders trying to change the business one chord, one paragraph at a time. Whether it was via an autobiographical article or a typically OTT video rounding up the latest rock news alongside his partner-in-crime, Vikki, Zion totally captured the spirit of what we were trying to achieve with the Uber Rock website and its spin-offs. Uber Rock still exists in another form in another corner of the Internet, but that original, aforementioned UR spirit is now strong in RPM via its editor and scribes, hence the need for acknowledgment of Zion’s passing here: he is a part of the fabric as much as any other person who made the jump to this site.

The first time I met Zion he greeted and spoke to me as if I were an old friend and, as he dipped regularly into a Tupperware container full of cold meats, I smiled a smile that never left any time that I was fortunate to be in his company. His quirks were brilliant – “I never carry cash… or a phone” – and his stories even more so. Our paths had similar trajectories – Star Wars toys and Region One DVDs. Zion sold both on the then-fledgling Internet and, after setting up a Star Wars toy website that cheekily featured the name of the first prequel, The Phantom Menace, but with a strategically-placed hyphen, he actually received a cease and desist letter from Lucasfilm. How did he react to this threat from an entertainment giant? He replied telling them that their movies had taught him that the little guy should always stand up to the big bully… and that was that. He heard nothing in return. Typical confidence from one of life’s genuinely great people.

 

I saw Zion and Vikki at many a ComicCon around the country as they sold their T-shirts and hilariously blunt greeting cards on their Smell Your Mum stall, and they were always available for a much-needed and very entertaining catch-up even when the shirts (typical design: “I’m only fat because every time I fucked your mum she gave me a biscuit”) were flying out thick and fast. Vikki would produce the first four Uber Rock shirt designs, all of which sold out quickly. It was the band, though, that was my introduction to one of the coolest couples I ever had the pleasure to meet.

 

 

I saw SPiT LiKE THiS play small clubs, and I saw them play massive stages. They treated every performance exactly the same; as if they were on the cusp of being the biggest band on the planet and everyone else needed to do a lot of catching up… fast! I took photos of the band when they played the main stage at Hard Rock Hell (still, in my eyes, the biggest and best I’d ever seen them) and was thrilled when one of my pics appeared in the CD booklet of their second album, 2012’s Chris Tsangarides-produced ‘Normalityville Horror’. Even then, with proper stardom appearing closer than ever to their collective grasp, Zion wore his Uber Rock colours front and centre in a number of the band’s music videos. He was, and always will be, one of us.

 

 

Zion and Vikki sold the T-shirt company, dissolved the band, and moved from one end of the country to the other to start a new life together. I’m sure you’re all with me on this, but isn’t it weird when something ends yet due to social media we can frequently be involved in the lives of people that we may never see again? Well now, due to tragic circumstances, we will never see Zion again. And that stings the eyes. It breaks the heart. The World was a brighter place having Lord Zion in it and even though right now it feels like a light has gone out, there is a shadow over all of us who ever fell under the spell of this massive personality… and that shadow is the shape of a statuesque rock star who took on the Galactic Empire… and won.

 

 

Listen to SPiT LiKE THiS, watch the YouTube videos, read his book, and Zion will never really leave us. It might not feel like it now, but he left a mark on us all that won’t fade easily. Rest easy, Z-man.”

Gaz Tidey

Singles Club – Covid Countdown August and everything

Christmas/Stacy Crowne – ‘Split’ (Self Release) Christmas kick off with ‘Generation Mild’ to go toe to toe with Stacy Crowne and their ‘Master Manchine’ and what a battle this is.  Energetic, uncompromising and thoroughly enjoyable.  Christmas have stepped up and have been regularly turning in some of Hardcores finest tunes globally and I genuinely believe that. So Stacy Crowne step up with a hard-rockin’ windmilling catchy slab of power.

There are 45 copies made. They are hand-cut vinyl, each copy was cut separately by Oslo Vinylfreseri, the small vinyl company of Howie B (Ex-Bloodlights).  The cover has been screen printed by Max Motherfucker and Annika Zech in two colours. Each record is hand-numbered, on the vinyl and on the sleeve. For those who like to go in deeper and have that little extra, they’ve made 12 wooden boxes with a screen-printed top. This release is 100% DIY and also 100% handmade! and you can get your mucky paws on a copy by clicking the link Here 

 

 

Slaves To Fashion – ‘Garden Of Chains ( Independent)  It can’t all be power pop and sweet singles. This the sixth single from the concept album “The History of Heavy Metal” celebrates GRUNGE from the early 1990’s – the genre that changed the world of heavy music almost overnight. Norwegian band SLAVES TO FASHION continues to honour 50 years of heavy metal. In 2020 the band is releasing a new song every month that is inspired by and pays tribute to the different time periods and subgenres of heavy metal. All the songs will become the concept album “The History of Heavy Metal”.

 

This is absolutely the sound of Grunge they’re tipping the hat to check out the video below.

 

 

Paul –Ronney Angel – ‘One Ghost Town’ (Gypsy Hotel Records)    Out on all digital platforms (as well as a limited-edition CD EP which has 3 tracks not available online) Whistling like prime time Rodger Whittaker Paul-Ronney rides up to this One Ghost Town with a gentle acoustic ode to modern times.  With his fine penchant for melodramatic landscape painting tunes this is up there with his best. Its got that last town knackered pit pony stroll into town mood but lyrically it’s not pretty, but what it is – is spot on and succinct with what’s going on on the COVID- 19 strewn street we walk upon, some haters intent on taking the piss out of everyone and the man on the street, the little man needing a hand up but is used as a stepping stone instead and Angel has got it spot on with his observations.  My advice, Get it! Get it now Here

 

The Hawkins – ‘Hilow’ (The Sign Records) Well if it’s not the single cover of the year then COVID -19 has taken my brain, trashed it and replaced it with a never-ending loop of Matt Handcocks, Boris and Trumps best bullshits.  Something alluring and fascinating going on here as well as repulsing and terrifying.  It’s got the energy of punk and the power to rock the press release says the song is great for the early morning workout but one look at the artwork and you will run faster and further than Forest Gump just keep running kids. All you hipsters out there can save the streaming links here.

 

 

 

Young Planetary –  ‘Locations I Can’t Place’ (Hidden Home Records) You can pick up the EP Here it features six new songs and the final track is featured in the video below. for fans of taking back Sunday, its got a top slick production for sure and as we always love a great cause we had to get behind this one so dig deep if you can.

All proceeds from the new single will be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

Supersuckers – ‘Coattail rider’ (Acetate Records)  Eddie has kept himself busy during the lockdown and has released a few class digital bits here and there and now this Countrified bad boy YeHaw! If that’s not good enough how about a good time cowpunk ‘Mudhead’.  It’s a full band shindig and its a fuckin’ banger! There’s never an excuse needed to promote some Supersuckers and this is proof that the world needs bands like this and people like Eddie making music regardless of the genre be it solo acoustic or full tilt punk rockin’ or this hybrid cowpunk country stuff the guys a master and this is a masterclass. Pick up a copy here 

 

 

 

Muck & The Mires – ‘Take Me Back To Planet Earth’ (Rum Bar Records) Fuzzed out full gonzo garage rock complete with the splendid organ wheeze but this has got a whole lot of balls in the mix as the guitar solo will testify Brothers & Sisters.  This has got swing as well as the ability to shake your action pronto!

from the upcoming EP by Muck and the Mires on Rumbar Records . The release will feature six fresh tracks all written and recorded while the band has been off the road self-isolating. Muck and the Mires anxiously await their next visit to your hometown, but in the meantime, the band cordially invites you to join them on a video rocket trip through their hometown of Boston and into the far reaches of the galaxy. “Take Me Back To Planet Earth” EP will be available in the fall so prepare for lift off! Pick it up here kids

Introducing…Doojiman & The Exploders

Photo by: @wirelessmindphoto #wirelessmindphoto

Doojiman & The Exploders is the dream team put together by the mighty Doojiman and his right-hand man Woogie Wombach. They flew far and wide through the galaxy to put together a robot army of cool kids under the name ”The Exploders”. On their travels through The Milky Way, they picked up quite a few influences ranging from Ramones, Alice Cooper and The Stooges to The Hives, Turbonegro and Bloodhound Gang. And of course the sounds of animals such as Dingos, Owls and Bunnies. Mixing all of the above into a superweapon to conquer Earth. With a bunch of EP’s, singles and one full-length album (Sweden’s Newest Hit Makers) they’re now here with their sophomore album “Doojiman & The Exploders II: Electric Boogaloo” to put some lotion on your skin and so forth.

Well, that’s what they wanted to say and I hope you can make sense of where these cats are at.  Play either of those records and if you still don’t get it then maybe Rock and Roll just isn’t for you.

OK, so who the fuck are you?
Doojiman & The Exploders consists of Doojiman, his right-hand man Woogie Wombach, Timekeeper Patlanta, Artillery Battery Commander Dan Juan and Tank Commander Kallefornia. (Pata – Vox, Jeppe – Lead Guitar, Patrik – Guitar, Dan – Drums & Kalle – Bass). The band was put together by Pata and Jeppe in 2014 and has since picked up members along the way during drunk and fast travels around the city of Stockholm, Sweden. Think of them as the Inglourious Basterds of Scandinavian Rock’n’roll.
Where on God’s green earth are you from or what planet?
We’re from Stockholm, Sweden.
How did you put the band together?
By screening thousands of possible applicants Doojiman and Woogie Wombach eventually settled on three low life dropouts who do what they are told as long as they got something to drink.
What recordings have you made so far?
2014 – Police W. Rangler (Digital Single) 2014 – Watch Out! Look Out! (Digital EP) 2016 – Sweden’s Newest Hitmakers (Digital Album) 2018 – Rickety Cricket / Shameless (7″ Single + Digital Single) 2019 – Milk / Dogs (Digital Single) 2019 – From Myself (Digital Single) 2020 – Doojiman & The Exploders II: Electric Boogaloo (12″ Yellow/Black Vinyl + Digital Album) 2020 – Watch Out! Look Out (12″ Orange Vinyl (+ Police W. Rangler Single B-side)
Post Pandemic Plans?
Hopefully spread out music faster than fucking covid spread, we’ve heard that stuff spread pretty fast in Italy. We also are in dire need of a new Intelligence Officer (Booking Agency) so if you’re up for the task and love the songs, give us a ring!
Previous album reviews on RPM Online Here & Here Heavy Medication & Beluga Records respectively both offer great services and decent shipping rates from Europe

POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit K – KISS and Howard The Duck

Good to see ya again, RPM-people! Could there be a better time to sit and read retro articles on badass music websites? A better time to visit auction sites, PayPal account set to stun, searching for those “essentials” that you’ve just been reading about and simply MUST HAVE? Of course not.
For the eleventh of my PCS columns for RPM I have returned to finger the longboxes in the Schlock archive, searching for a couple of classic Seventies comics with a punk rock attitude and a hard rock guest appearance, all aimed to tie-in with the recent merchandise collaboration between KISS, the hottest band in the world, and Marvel Entertainment… and that’s where Howard The Duck comes in. But let’s backtrack a little… You may know Howard The Duck from the critically-mauled motion picture that was released in 1986. Yes, the feature film released in certain territories as Howard: A New Breed Of Hero. Yes, the flop flick that showed us that everything George Lucas touched DIDN’T turn to gold (dice) before we’d even heard of Mannequin Skywalker and Jar Jar Binks. You may know Howard The Duck from the modern Marvel cinematic universe: that post-credit scene in Guardians Of The Galaxy (and a cameo in its sequel); a quack-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in Avengers: Endgame. For us cool kids, however, it was all about the comic books.
Howard The Duck made his debut on spinner racks in 1973 in issue 19 of Adventure Into Fear. Created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik, the duck, plucked from his home world and dropped into the Florida everglades, was originally intended to be just a secondary character (alongside the likes of Korrek The Barbarian and Dakihm The Wizard) in that comic’s Man-Thing strip. Within a few short years, though, and via his own back-up strip in issues 4 and 5 of Giant-Size Man-Thing in 1975, Howard would have his own comic book.
Running for 31 issues, Howard The Duck (the comic) found Marvel at its most subversive: social satire wrapped up in pages headlined by a creature deemed so similar in appearance to Walt Disney’s Donald Duck that complaints were inevitably made. Steve Gerber, surely one of the most expansive of writing minds at Marvel in the 1970s, railed against US politics by having Howard run for President in a storyline that tied-in with the 1976 presidential campaign, then in the infamous Howard The Duck issue 16 railed against his employer’s deadlines with the biting ‘Zen and The Art Of Comic Book Writing’ “rant”. But where does KISS come into all this, I hear you exclaim?
In 1977, Marvel released the first of its Super Specials. It featured rock superstars KISS, then wilfully teetering on the brink of total commercial success, battling against Doctor Doom and Mephisto. The red ink infamously contained the blood of Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Peter Criss, and Gene Simmons (not all of it, of course), and the story was written by… wait for it… Steve Gerber. Now, if only the writer had an ongoing monthly title where Marvel could covertly publicise the upcoming KISS comic book…
Howard The Duck’s presidential campaign failed in somewhat spectacular fashion. A fake sex scandal saw the duck fall from the cusp of political success to the depths of nervous breakdown. So bad was his fall that he found himself (in issue 12 of his monthly title, cover-dated May 1977), in a tale entitled ‘Mind-Mush!’, held in the Sauerbraten County Mental Facility. Winda Wester, a new supporting character introduced in the previous issue who spoke with a speech impediment that surely meant that her real name was ‘Linda Lester’, was possessed. Who could
feature in the “swirling, seething, savage nightmare rising in billows from Winda’s skull” on the final page of issue 12? You’ve guessed it… KISS!
“Aw-riiight! Sauerbraten County, Ohio – let this old cosmos… Rock, Roll Over, and Writhe!” yells the Starchild on the opening page of issue 13. Freezing security guards with a wild eye laser that would later be utilised in the classic KISS meets the Phantom of the Park (aka Attack of the Phantoms) television movie par excellence, the Starchild then passed the mic to the Catman who told Howard “The Word”. The Word? “When you meet reality head-on – Kiss it, smack it in the face!” More than one word, really, eh? “And then, with one awful WHOOSH, they were drawn back into Winda’s brain.” Five pages, thirteen panels, and that was KISS done with Howard The Duck. Daimon Hellstrom would turn up at the facility, Howard become a duck possessed himself, but that’s another story for another time.
Those five pages, though, as blatant an advert for the upcoming Super Special that they were, worked a treat. Okay, they weren’t the only thing pointing fans in the direction of issue 1 of the Marvel Comics Super Special – KISS was every-frigging-where – but they must have added to the swell of attention towards that blood-inked comic book that would go on to sell around half a million copies over two printings.
KISS would return to the pages of Marvel in issue 5 of Marvel Comics Super Special in 1978 in an occult adventure and, in the Nineties to tie-in with the reunion tour by the original band members, would later meet the X-Men in the KISSnation publication. The band has since met Archie, the Martians from Mars Attacks, Vampirella, and had ongoing titles published by IDW, Dynamite, Dark Horse, and Image Comics. There was even a 2013 comic series entitled KISS Kids which should not be interpreted as a command.
For all those comic book appearances, however, the first ones that you need in your collection are the two Marvel Super Specials and issues 12 and 13 of Howard The Duck. Why? Because, if you’re a child of the ’70s, or simply long to have been one, then there is little cooler than your favourite larger-than-life rock band, alongside a wise-cracking duck, in a Marvel Comic. ‘Nuff said.
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POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit I – Rock & Rule

It’s that time again, RPM-people, where I dip a retro-futuristic toe into the Pop Culture Schlock archive hoping to find something that will get your nostalgia nubs tingling and have you rushing to the secondary market seller of your choice, PayPal log-in details set to stun.

It’s the cavernous physical media section of the archive that I am plundering on this fine day, fingering a forgotten Eighties flick (that’s if you even knew of it in the first place!) that is more than deserving of the Cult Classic status that appeared desperately out of its reach as the film fell between the cinematic cracks, despite housing exclusive output from hit parade hot properties like Debbie Harry, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Cheap Trick, and, erm, Earth, Wind & Fire… but let’s not get ahead of ourselves…

 

1983’s Rock & Rule was the first fully animated feature film produced entirely in Canada. Nelvana, the studio behind it, was founded in 1971 and had reached for the pop culture skies several years later when it contributed to 1978’s much-maligned (long-forgotten if Lucasfilm could have its way) Star Wars Holiday Special; the studio creating the ten-minute animated segment that famously featured the first appearance of Boba Fett, the galaxy’s most-feared bounty hunter (well, until we found out that he was cloned from that bloke off of Shortland Street, at least).

 

Nelvana’s animators were ballpoints-deep in developing an animated feature entitled Drats! when they were approached by producer Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters, Stripes, Twins) to work on a feature-length movie based on the classic magazine, Heavy Metal. Nelvana nixed the idea in favour of producing its own title. Heavy Metal, the movie, eventually released in 1981, utilised the services of several different animation houses, took around twenty million dollars at the box office, and became a cult classic. Them’s the breaks.

Drats! toiled through a development hell of sorts; originally intended as a more child-friendly Grimm’s fairy tale-like opus, the project was subject to countless changes, from tone to title. Now called Rock & Rule, the project dashed into production without a completed screenplay. Re-writes abounded, characters were changed long after their original footage was completed, the studio had to move location part-way through production, investment dried up, and the production sailed past every deadline. At least Nelvana had the might of MGM/UA behind them. Well, not quite. Boardroom musical chairs at MGM/UA resulted in the suits who had fallen for the animated project being hung out to dry and new suitors, if you could call them that, were less than enamoured with the work as a whole. Cuts were demanded, voice actors replaced, the title changed to Ring Of Power, resulting in the movie being dead on arrival – buried by a studio before it even had a chance to find its audience upon eventual release in 1983. But why? Was it really that bad?

 

Watching Rock & Rule now it’s easy to find fault – the post-apocalyptic tone is diluted too often by comic relief characters more suited to Saturday morning cartoons, and the cuts demanded (two different versions actually exist; American and Canadian) make for a patchy viewing experience – but, as far from perfect as it is, there is plenty on offer for this forgotten film to warrant rediscovery. It is, however, the rock and roll of Rock & Rule that will be of the greatest interest to RPM readers.

The story in a nutshell: on a post-apocalyptic Earth where the population has mutated from rodents to human form, a legendary super rocker, named Mok, resides in Nuke York and is obsessed with an evil experiment that will bring forth a demon from another dimension. To do this he needs to find an angelic voice to sing a certain combination of notes. Meanwhile, in a seedy club, a fledgling rock band has a keyboard player just finding her voice. Her name? Angel…

 

Mok was originally to be named ‘Mok Swagger’ until the talent representation of Mick Jagger objected. How did they know at such an early stage of development? Well, the Rolling Stones frontman was considered for the role of Mok (no doubt why the animated character has lips-a-plenty), as were David Bowie, Sting, Michael Jackson, and Tim Curry. Don Francks – who had provided the voice for Boba Fett in the aforementioned Holiday Special animated sequence – was eventually cast as Mok, although the character’s musical sequences were performed by none other than Lou Reed.

 

Who could provide that angelic voice, though? Well, voice-over veteran Susan Roman was cast as Angel, but the character’s potentially demon-inducing singing voice was provided by Debbie Harry. Add to these that fact that Angel’s bandmate, Omar, had a singing voice provided by Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander, and the one-and-only Iggy Pop voiced the thing from another dimension, and you have a proper rock ‘n’ roll curio almost certain to be missing from many a collection.

‘Angel’s Song’ is, in fact, an early version of the song, ‘Maybe For Sure’, that would appear on Harry’s 1989 solo album, ‘Def, Dumb & Blonde’. This was just one of three songs written by Harry and fellow Blondie founder, Chris Stein, for the movie; the others being ‘Invocation Song’ and ‘Send Love Through’, the version of the latter featured at the climax containing lead vocals by both Debbie Harry and Robin Zander. Zander’s Cheap Trick bandmate, Rick Nielsen, penned three tunes for the movie (‘Born To Raise Hell’, ‘I’m The Man’, and ‘Ohm Sweet Ohm’), Lou Reed two (‘Triumph’ and ‘My Name Is Mok’), and Iggy Pop just the one (‘Pain & Suffering’). It’s the Earth, Wind & Fire tune that you want to know about though, right? Well, ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ plays out in a neo-disco scene set at Club 666. Now you’re interested!

 

Arthouse cinemas and film festivals provided the only opportunities to view Rock & Rule after its initial flop at release, aside from a rare mid-eighties airing on Canadian television, where it was promoted as a music special rather than an animated feature. Eventual home video releases on video cassette and laserdisc finally allowed the movie to find something of an audience until, in more recent times, a long-awaited double DVD release presented an anamorphic widescreen version to curious viewers and collectors alike. This digital versatile disc set is now out of print so good luck in finding a copy. I did, and it now resides in the Pop Culture Schlock archive where another curious item lies waiting to be fingered for my next RPM column…

 

Until then, keep watching the skies!

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Author: Gaz Tidey

45 Revolutions Per Minute

What an epic mixed bag this month’s singles are.  We delve into hardcore territory with some killer singles EP’s and downloads that raise an eyebrow or two as well as dip our toes into indie and alternative goodness but the one thing we can assure you is we review quality and if its on RPM 45’s then you really should give a fuck and go check em out you might just find your new favourite band. We’ve covered this months feature with two absolute belting slabs of hardcore from both sides of the pond in Asbestos Beach and Cheasty Malone and we also have the finest power pop with the brand new More Kicks who can’t put a foot wrong with their releases so far. There is also some top-notch Grunge vibes hitting the death decks this month in the shape of Hellebore and Weekend Recovery who expand the envelope for us and most welcome they are too.  Cock Rock in the house as well in the shape of Piston and opening up some Killer Punk Rock N Roll in the shape of Killer Hearts… Boy I love my job. 1-2-3-4 take it away guys…

Killer Hearts -Killed By Volume EP (Gods Candy Records/Spaghetty Town Records) Its like a seal of approval currently if your record is released on Gods Candy or Spaghetty Town you the listener don’t need to hear it just hand over your money because you know its going to be quality rock n Roll and Killer Hearts brand new EPs the latest in that conveyer belt of Rock n Roll goodness.’Do Your Thang’ is first up and what a horn honkin slab of killer Rock n Roll it is.  It’s snotty – it’s rockin’ – it’s like the bastard sons of The Dead Boys and Bon Scott Iggy Pop and Thin Lizzy that’s the pedigree these guys are mainlining.  Four tracks that just sizzles with attitude like the sound you want a band of Rock n Roll outlaws to make. Another fantastic four tracks that we highly recommend you check out with immediate effect. Facebook Gods Candy Records Spaghetty Town Records

Chesty Malone & The Slice EM Ups – Satanic Brooklyn Scum (1332 Records) fuck me it’s been way too long since I had a slice of Chesty Malone across my record player. They don’t so much come creepy crawling back to life but more like a hybrid punk slam dance from speaker to speaker in a rapid quick fire in your face slice of slice em up’s. ‘Cannibal Girl’ is hardcore and right up in your grill – have some of that boys n girls I’ve missed em. ‘Everybody Hates Me’ is pure Noo Yawk hardcore – barking like a rabid dog they should hook up with Pizzatramp for an Atlantic crossover of hardcore throw down it would be carnage. They have saved the best til last though in fairness with a more menacing and measured number ‘Satanic Brooklyn Scum’ might just be the bands finest three and a half minutes to date. Welcome back you lot we’ve missed you. Its like Venom jamming on Bloodclot or early slayer playing Madball tunes.  Nah it’s like Chesty Malone doing what the do best and slicing up the opposition. Killer EP.  Buy it here off the label or head over to Chesty Malone Website

 

Vegasettes – Lose Sight (Self Release) It’s loud its brash its Vegasette.  sighting the likes of the Foo Fighters is a bit wide of the mark for me as this is louder than that and more of a hard-rockin’ riffarama affair. The opening track is built over a big riff as it forges on with a big melody on the vocals with plenty of punch. ‘Breathe’ is altogether a different beast with a big riff its a slow burner but gets there, in the end, we always love a gang vocal and Vegasettes have got one.  A promising introduction from these UK based rockers.

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Mozes & The Firstborn – Sad Supermarket Song (Burger Records) This video is taken off his new long player ‘Dadcore’ that was released a few weeks ago. the band play See them live at The Shacklewell Arms, London, March 12th as part of their European tour. with a blend of power pop and a more alternative sound it has a commercial edge for sure but is a very listenable tune from a very impressive album. Check em out Here 

 

 

More Kicks – I’m On The Brink (Wanda Records) Ok Rock n Rollers here’s the brand new single from Londons very own power pop rock n rollers kicking out the jams on this fine pair of tunes.  Do you want energy? Do you want melody? Do you want some exciting Rock n Roll? Well, jump on board because More Kicks are the real deal. Available on several coloured records from Wanda Records this is a must own record. The A-side is a fantastically crafted slab of rock n roll as it makes your heart glow and your toes tap just what a 45 should sound like. Whilst the B-Side is a little faster it’s just more of the same.  These gents really do know how to craft great rock n roll and then the hard part of capturing the magic but once again they’ve done it.  Get down and get with it kids More Kicks should be huge.  Now with two singles down how about that long player? Wanda Records  Bandcamp

 

Pizzatramp / Domestics (self Release) As usual these boys don’t do things by halves and decide to release a spilt that clocks in at less that one minute! yup, one minute if there is such a thing as a ten-second love song then ‘I Went On A Double Funded Kickstarter Holiday To The United States Of America And All I Brought Back Was This Shitty Fucking Album’ isn’t it.  Yup, it takes longer to type the song title than the song lasts and we know what its about but c’mon guys that’s just plain nasty.  We love Pizzatramp and we love that they do things their own way and we should be the ones to suggest that we all get together and have a group hug because things won’t seem so bad after we’re all loved up or something like that.  Sure it’s shouty and its fast as fuck but its Pizzatramp so what did you expect a Bon Jovi cover? Bandcamp

 

The Gala – Boy (Dead Beat Records) Some down n dirty sleazy rock n roll ala NY Loose with some smart keys in their mix thats what you get from the Gala. With a rumbling bass line and swirling organ, this back street rock n roll tune is a great introduction to their soon to be released long player ‘Bad News’. If this single is an indication of what’s on offer then ‘Bad News’ is a must hear deal from Bostons the Gala because they’ve got the chops boy.

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 Hellebore – The Bomb EP (Self Release) Three tracks from Nottingham noisemakers sitting somewhere between The Pixies, PJ Harvey and Esterons With three tracks that have a foot in the alt scene of the early ’90s call it post-grunge or just plain indie but what they have done is craft three different tracks from the dreamy edges to the noisy feedback-laden moments not a million miles from PJ Harvey on ‘Swimming In’.

The title track ‘The Bomb’ is the pick of the three with an aggressive edge but always just under control. Well worth checking out if you’ve ever had a passing hankering for well crafted indie rock. Passionate and clearly in it for the love of the music that much shines through check them out on Facebook and Bandcamp and pick up a copy of ‘The Bomb’. Facebook

 

Sick Bags – Cigarette Spit (Self Release) Richmond punks Sick Bag knock out three super sleazy slabs of Punk Rock N Roll. ‘Cigarette Spit’ is like The Runaways playing Ramones its got a big dollop of Toilet Boys thrown in for good measure so what’s not to like? ‘Die In California’ is more of the same. If you don’t like this then you have to question yourself and what you’re doing with your life. Sick Bag are wonderful.  Trashy glitter punk is a thing of beauty when its done properly and Sick Bag certainly do that.  I think I’d have my money on these cats in a street fight with Amyl & The Sniffer. Oh and the third track on offer ‘Bandit Baby’ is um kinda more of the same just with a different solo but it puts its lipstick on with a switchblade knife.  Check em out you’ll love em. Bandcamp

 

Liily – I Can Fool Anybody In This Town (Flush Records)  Alt-rockers Lilly hail from San Fernando Valley and are a causing a bit of a stir with their tunes and for a bunch of teens they are way ahead of the curve with a sound that bands twice their age can’t capture.  The lead track reminds me a bit of Japan and their alt-rock roots but there is a lot more to this band than one style.  They embrace several genres and can rock out with the big boys when they need to.  Interesting times and interesting band, one to keep an eye on.  Buy Liily Here

The Magic Lotus – Change The World (Animal Farm)  London based two piece make alternative rock their weapon of choice are back with a measured slice of pop-rock with an emphasis on the harmony and melody.

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Asbestos Beach – Tape (Self Release)  But it has eight tracks that’s not a single I hear you say.  Yeah but eight-track in around ten minutes like having a dentist drill rammed through the side of your head I think its fair to say that these Glaswegian hardcore loons have a single length release if that’s alright with you?

The artwork to this release pretty much sums up what you’re hearing.  It’s like Bloodclot meets Mayhem but in a Glasgow park after dark whilst pouring Buckfast into your eyes.  Harcore as fuck uncompromising – tight as fuck and like a rabid dog you just can’t or want to shake off.  fuckin’ ace! I couldn’t pick a favourite that would be futile just enjoy it for what it is.  A fuckin’ beautiful racket, well done Asbestos Beach ‘Tape’ wins. Name your price on Bandcamp 

Piston – One More Day (Self Release) Five Piece Rockers Piston have this brand new video available its taken from their forthcoming debut album that is being released in yonder well September to be exact so its a hell of a lead-in from here. The song is commercial enough to have widespread appeal for the band with a bit of Billy Duffy in the riff and guitar sound as well as enough Backyard Babies Piston have an interesting few months ahead methinks.  Good luck gents.

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Weekend Recovery – Bite Your Tongue (Self Release) Four tracks on the brand new Weekend Recovery EP with a sound that’s sharp – well produced it crosses a few genres from the harsh guitar overdrive to the strong melodies on the vocals the band have crafted the songs possibly most noted on ‘On My Knees’ and ‘I’m Not That Girl’ which starts off quiet and moves purposefully as the band builds around the chorus for the pick of the tracks on offer.

In a post Grunge sound, I can see the band reaching a wide audience on the strength of these tunes and a really strong performance on vocals as Lorin excels and turns in a great performance. There is certainly a bit of My Chemical Romance in this the way the song flows and its easily the pick of the four on offer. Good effort indeed.

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Tiger Touch – Hawthorne Boogie (Tyrannical Volts) Sneaking in at the eleventh hour is Tiger Touch from Portland & here at RPM we’re so glad they did because this two track 7″ is dominating our airwaves.  Its a slice of Action Rock ‘n’ fuckin Roll that smoulders along and has a real touch of class from the opening chord right through to that sweet Angus like solo.  Hawthorne Boogie never goes over the top crazy but there is a menace there that’s just bubbling under which makes for a classy tune. The B side is an altogether different beast with its rapid stomping rhythm.  A classic slice of attitude fueled rock n roll. A single that will interest a lot of RPM readers. Love the snippet of ‘Search And Destroy’ if you’re going to reference anyone might as well make it the best.  Excellent record!

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Bromide – Magic Coins (Scratchy Records)  HAving some pretty lofty praise heaped on this English Three piece ‘Magic Coins’ ebbs and flows between indie heavyweights Dinosaur Jr and Teenage Fanclub for the melodies and power chords.  It’s not without merit I know that much and whilst they might not be up there with Beach Slang they’re certainly sneaking up on the outside especially with songs like the hypnotic ‘Always Now’.  I like it and want to hear more. Facebook

 

 

 

 

To finish off this roundup of great singles I’m going to just leave this beauty here, enjoy!