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KISS – ‘Creatures Of The Night’ (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) (UMC)

No other hard rock band in the world today knows how to celebrate (and some might say “exploit”) their heritage quite like the New York Godfathers of shock rock, KISS.

I suppose the flood of modern-day ephemera all started with the release of their epic KISSTORY book around the time that the initially shelved ‘Carnival Of Souls’ album saw mainstays Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley reach out to their old band mates Peter Criss and Ace Frehley to set up the reunion tour to end all reunion tours.  During that record breaking worldwide adventure a bazillion and one merch ties ins hit the KISS Army from all angles with perhaps the series of truly excellent KISSOLOGY DVD box sets being the highlight of that era for yours truly. There have of course been many “End Of The Road” tours by the band since then, but as the rescheduled post-Covid shows made their way around the globe for one final time, up popped a series of (to date) four ‘From The Soundboard’ official bootlegs that have seen some career defining concerts from the band finally getting a general release. Even if the packaging on those releases leaves a lot to be desired.

Which is something you really cannot level at the Super Deluxe Edition box set the band released in 2021 to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of their ‘Destroyer’ album. Spread across multiple formats, it is the 73 track, 3CD and Blu-ray Audio version that really set the bar at an all new high for these kinds of releases. Packed full of exclusive posters, trading cards, plus a whole host of interesting nick-nacks all topped off by a fantastic 68-page book, what had most KISS fans reaching for their credit cards to acquire this bad boy, was the fact 48 of the 73 tracks were previously unreleased and ‘Destroyer’ itself had been newly remastered at Abbey Road Mastering Studios.

Releases like this obviously command a hefty price tag, but when it came to the ‘Destroyer’ box, I honestly think it was worth every penny of the £120 I paid for it. Something you sadly can’t always say these days when purchasing Deluxe Editions of albums (I’m looking at you Seal).

Fast forward to the summer of 2022 then, and whispers started to circulate of KISS doing something similar for the 40th Anniversary of their tenth studio album ‘Creatures Of The Night’. Expanded to 5CDs and once again with Blu-ray Audio, when the price point of the Super Deluxe Edition initially broke via KISS Online however it was enough to make even the most die-hard of fans take a deep breathe. BUT, with 103 tracks in total and with 75 tracks being unreleased, plus all the usual fare KISS excel in producing, I finally settled on securing a copy for around £230, which was far, far less than that original jaw dropping price point.  Of course, as always with KISS there are versions to fit every KISS Army member’s budget, and along with the Super Deluxe Edition there are also a 3 LP Deluxe, 2 CD Deluxe, 1 LP 180gm Half-Speed Master, 1 CD Remaster, as well as a 5 CD Super Deluxe Edition digital download and streaming plus a 2 CD digital download only version, oh and let’s not forget there’s also a colour vinyl exclusive too. Phew!

So, what’s all the fuss about? Well, ‘Creatures Of The Night’ really was the pivotal record that saw KISS once again reconnect with their core hard/heavy rock fanbase following a series of forays into such musical genres as disco, powerpop and indeed progressive-tinged concept rock. I remember hearing a couple of tracks from the album being previewed on Tommy Vance’s Friday Night Rock Show back in the day and even on my old beat-up ghetto blaster those tracks sounded HUGE, not least due to the pounding drums by the band’s newly acquired sticksfox Eric Carr. It is a testament to that infamous Michael James Jackson production job that it is that monstrous drum sound that immediately greets me like some long-lost friend as I sit back and play the album in full for the first time in ages. And, whilst Ace Frehley would feature on the original album cover and in the video to the album’s lead single ‘I Love It Loud’ it’s worth remembering that ‘Creatures’ the album is very much the sound of one Vinnie Vincent, working alongside Simmons and Stanley with the (by then) usual array of guest players, ranging from blues guitarist Robben Ford to Mr. Mister guitarist Steve Farris, to produce the heaviest KISS record to that point.

I’d honestly forgotten just how much of an impact this album (and the album that would follow it ‘Lick It Up’) had made on the fifteen-year-old me and hearing the likes of ‘Rock And Roll Hell’, ‘Saint and Sinner’ and ‘War Machine’ (a track the band have had on and off in their live set right up until the end) it’s great to hear Gene Simmons really at the top of his game before he then decided to become an actor, leaving Paul Stanley to run the band pretty much single-handedly through what would be commercially successful if the somewhat creatively sterile period during the mid to late 80s. Here on ‘Creatures’ though the Starchild turns in nothing short of a stellar performance on tracks like ‘Danger’ and ‘Keep Me Comin’ along with the band’s live showstopper for many years to follow, the emotional roller coaster that is, ‘I Still Love You’.

On the Super Deluxe Edition of ‘Creatures’ the original studio album is immediately followed by the four tracks the band had released earlier in 1982 as part of the ‘Killers’ compilation set, with all the tracks coming with Stanley lead vocals and ‘Nowhere To Run’ and ‘I’m A Legend Tonight’ perhaps being the standouts, it makes me wonder now why the post ‘Asylum’ years were perhaps such a big surprise to me when the early signs of what would become Stanley’s dominance of the KISS brand just a few years later were there all along.

It’s the previously unreleased tracks that many of you will be interested in within this set though, and like pretty much every other Super Deluxe Edition box set the 2 CDs included here are a bit of a mixed bag. When they are great, like the 3 Penny Lane demos of ‘Deadly Weapon’,  ‘Nowhere to Run’ and the funktastic ‘Feel Like Heaven’ (which sees Gene channelling his inner Freddie Mercury via song he would later gift to Peter Criss for his ‘Let Me Rock You’ album) then these curios really do excel, but by contrast there’s only so many “Takes” and “Alternative Mixes” that I can stomach, especially when you know just how good the finished product turned out to be.

Also worthy of your interest here though are four Gene demo(n)s ranging from the MOR/AOR pop of ‘Something Seems To Happen At Night’ through to the anthemic ‘It’s My Life’, a song which would initially go on to feature on the Simmons produced Wendy O Williams’ ‘WOW’ album recorded in 1984. I’m guessing some of these must have featured in Simmons ‘Vault’ set too, but that mammoth collector’s piece was way too expensive for me to ever consider buying it.  What I did buy though (pretty much on the day of release) was the ‘Lick It Up’ album, and the demo of ‘Not For The Innocent’ included here is one that is markedly different to the album version, containing a different opening, and a Simmons/Stanley duel vocal rather than a Simmons solo vocal, which unlike the multiple takes/mixes etc is the kind of thing I do find very interesting indeed.

With the aforementioned Soundboard series of releases that KISS have been releasing over the past year or so, CDs 4 and 5 of this Super Deluxe Edition feature the Creatures Tour Live ‘82/’83 set pulled together from three shows recorded in Sioux City, Rockford and Houston and are very much in keeping with the spirit of those soundboard quality releases. So, if you’ve enjoyed those, the chance to finally own an officially approved Vinnie Vincent line up live show must be a bit of a no-brainer really. There are 20 choice cuts contained within the main set with 5 blistering versions of songs from ‘Creatures Of The Night’ standing proud alongside older fan favourites like ‘Strutter’, Gold Gin’, the amazing ‘I Want You’ and perhaps the best set closing song ever written, ‘Rock And Roll All Nite’. There are 6 additional live cuts too, which are basically 5 songs from the main set captured on different nights plus a version of ‘King Of The Night Time World’ recorded in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, all making for a very compelling live listening experience indeed. And if you like KISS sounding red raw and just a little rough around the edges then this set really is for you. Plus, if you fancy staging your own version of the set at home (dressed up as your favourite KISS member of course) there’s the 7 sound effects used during the tour to excite the inner nerd in you.

I just wish my inner nerd could have been reviewing the full finished box set for you though, but as this release has been delayed until the 25th of November, and I’m having to review this from a stream sent to me by UMC.

Look, I’m not grizzling here, far from it, I’ve really enjoyed listening to this deep dive into one of my all-time favourite KISS albums, I just can’t wait to get hold of my pre-ordered copy now and hear the Blu-ray Audio disc in all its glory, as it not only showcases the first-ever Atmos and 5.1 surround mixes from the original album multi-tracks, but also a high-resolution newly remastered 1982 stereo mix of the original album.

I still love you ‘Creatures Of The Night’, I really bloody do.

Buy Here

Author: Johnny Hayward

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Fake Names – Delete Myself

Fake Names – Delete Myself

FAKE NAMES ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM

‘EXPENDABLES’ OUT ON MARCH 3rd

 VIA EPITAPH RECORDS

Today, post-hardcore dream team – Fake Names – announce their second studio album, ‘Expendables’for release on March 3rd, 2023 via Epitaph Records.

The band is comprised of members Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Bad Religion, Dag Nasty), Michael Hampton (S.O.A., Embrace), Dennis Lyxzén (Refused, INVSN, The [International] Noise Conspiracy), Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys, Soulside) and newest addition Brendan Canty (Fugazi, Rites of Spring). It’s the latest exchange in a musical conversation that spans four decades, but instead of rehashing the past, ‘Expendables’ is a reinvention that sees the band dialing back the distortion and leaning into the melodies.

Today they share lead single “Delete Myself,” a high energy craft cocktail comprised of Punk and Garage, finished with unforgettable riffs.

LISTEN TO “DELETE MYSELF” NOW

Forming in 2016, Brian Baker describes Fake Names as a “mutual admiration society,” saying that once the five members got in the same room together, it felt as if they had already been in the band together for years. “There’s this intangible energy, a clairvoyance that comes from our shared experience,” he explains. On ‘Expendables,’ the result pairs their unparalleled pedigree with a pop sensibility that’s slightly unexpected and wholly satisfying.

Melding 70’s U.K. punk with power-pop and classic rock, the Fake Names’ self-titled debut album (2020) was actually a demo that Epitaph founder and Baker’s Bad Religion bandmate, Brett Gurewitz, wanted to release as is. After releasing a three-track EP in 2021, the band enlisted producer Adam “Atom” Greenspan (IDLES, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) who helmed a surprisingly cleaner sound for Expendables. Baker says, “The pop influences are a little more out front on this one and the production really helps it shine. It sounds more direct, more urgent.”

There’s also an economy to these songs that’s rooted in the fact that they were recorded in the span of a week, eliminating the option to add excess instrumentation or arrangements. What ensues is an album that retains the members’ purity of vision in a strikingly refreshing way.

Speaking to lyrical themes, Baker discloses, “In general, Dennis writes about revolution, and Michael and I write pop songs. I’m amazed at how it works, but somehow it strikes the right balance of salty and sweet.” This imagery is paralleled in the album artwork which Baker describes as “70’s dystopian” and features an eerie army of mannequins set against a cold urban backdrop. That dichotomy of lively music and bleak imagery is an important thematic element of Expendables because the album is more than just a collection of catchy songs: it’s an artistic statement about our own impermanence.

For more information on Fake Names, visit:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Fake Names – Press Photo by Danny Clinch

Soul Asylum / Everclear – The Fleece Bristol – 15.11.22

Soul Asylum / Everclear – The Fleece Bristol – 15.11.22

After being moved from The Marble Factory to the more compact and cozy confines of The Fleece this had all the makings of one of those nights. Upon entering the Jam-packed venue on a school night Everclear were just entering the stage armed and ready to rock and for the next hour they rocked, amused and generally dished out a value-for-money support set where they packed in fifteen songs from all corners of their catalogue. Sure Alex sounded a little horse and rough around the edges vocally but the energy was evident from the opening of ‘So Much For The Afterglow’ through ‘Father Of Mine’ and the bulk of the set featured tracks from ‘The Afterglow’ album. Live there is less of the studio sheen and the band just rock out and are happy to wing it and jam out The ‘Sparkle And Fade’ tracks like ‘Strawberries’ and ‘Heartspark Dollar sign’ sounded great and suitable deep into the setlist when the band had warmed up and were really cooking. By the time they reached the encore cover of The Vaselines ‘Mollys Lips’ it was done and they lapped up the very generous and deserved applause from the packed audience.

It still blows my mind this is their 30th Anniversary tour They’re looking good and sounding great I hope Art was telling the truth when he said see you in two years, it’s a date!

Its been a while between seeing Soul Asylum and when the change of venue was announced I was a little worried it might never happen but being in the thick of a packed-out Fleece on a school night filled me with excitement and joy – feelings I’ve had from my teen when going to a Rock and Roll show and still have in adulthood (cough cough) ‘Ambling onto the tight Fleece stage the band waste no time kicking into ‘Somebody To Shove’ off the excellent big breakthrough album ‘Grave Dancers Union’. Sure the “Big Hit” albums featured heavily and I’m good with that because I loved and still do love those records even the radio-friendly hits and tonight they still sounded excellent with Pirner telling jokes and looking like he was having a great time delivering these songs with as much passion and joy as he did thirty years ago.

The earlier albums were represented and a fantastic rendition of ‘Made To Be Broken’ and ‘Never Really Been’ peppered the air mid-set which was as far back as the band ventured. ‘Got It Pretty Good’ from their last studio album snuck in the early set and sounded excellent with its stomping tempo and punch-the-air chorus. Their excellent version of ‘Summer Of Drugs’ was a set high point even if Dave’s stand-up jokes were not but you can’t have everything can you?

I thought Pirners vocals sounded excellent and he still oozed class throughout what was a fantastic set – there can’t have been anyone leaving the venue disappointed with that setlist sure old school fans always want more of the early tunes but there’s a balance to be struck for a band who’ve been at this for decades the band displayed fantastic energy and the balance of being a credible, relevant band was struck Memories of the early to mid-90s came flooding back like it was yesterday and the songs are still as good and the band has still got it. Til the next time, this will more than do – An excellent night of Rock and Roll from two great bands. Now that’s value for money right there.

Author: Dom Daley

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Kiss – Navy Strength ‘Cold Gin’

Kiss – Navy Strength ‘Cold Gin’

Kiss head honcho Gene Would put the Kiss logo on anything if he thought he could turn a fast buck knocking it out to his hordes of fans around the globe. sometimes he is wide of the mark and sometimes he’s right on the money. Who would have thought way back in time when the band wrote ‘Cold Gin’ that all these years later he’d have the opportunity to actually deliver a Navy Strength actual Cold Gin?

So if you like the hard stuff or at this time of year are at a loss of what to buy the Rocker in your life then this is the ideal gift. Clocking in a minimum of 57% alc/vol it certainly packs a punch and having the band’s endorsement gives it the edge over the bazillion flavours of Gin out there on the market.

Naming it Navy Strength dates back to the 18th century when the British Navy stored their spirits next to gunpowder. Should the gin barrels split, spilling their liquid into the gunpowder, the higher strength content, a minimum of 57% alc/vol, ensured the gunpowder would still explode.

This ‘Cold Gin’ is made up of lemon peel, and a selection of fine spices. There are no artificial flavours or added sweeteners. The additional flavours of juniper and lemon are macerated and blended with the distillate, achieving a full balance of the botanical experience. This is superior quality and what truly sets it aside as the ideal season gift is its looks, Kool! your friends will be impressed with the stylish bottle, with its eye-catching silver and gold details, with all four band members metallically integrated on each side of the Brooklyn Bridge. The main label features a gold disc and the iconic landmarks of the bands home town, including the Manhattan Skyline. The Kiss Kool art deco pattern behind the disc is based on the scales of The Demon’s boots so a lot of work has gone into this and really does set it up as one of the better Kiss Kollectables.

It’s not a cheap bottle of Gin but then quality costs and once you get your hands on a bottle you’ll appreciate it and be warned, it comes with a kick!

Buy it and enjoy it because it “Cold Gin time again”.

Pick up a bottle Here

Website: www.brandsforfans.com / www.facebook.com/BrandsForFans / Instagram @brandsforfans /
Twitter @BrandsForFans

Saxon/Diamond Head – St David’s Hall, Cardiff 14.11.22

Saxon/Diamond Head – St David’s Hall, Cardiff 14.11.22

I’m pretty sure most of us…ahem…. more mature metal heads would never have thought that 40 years on from the latter days of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, two of the most prominent and important bands from that movement would still be around today. We certainly couldn’t have imagined that they would still be releasing new material and putting on the kinds of performances that I was fortunate enough to witness in the grand surroundings of St David’s Hall in Cardiff tonight.

It’s a travesty that Midlands based metallers Diamond Head never reached the dizzy heights that they were so deserving of. Similarly to Welsh legends Budgie, Diamond Head owe a lot to a certain thrash band from the San Francisco Bay Area who, as we all know covered some of their back catalogue and introduced a whole new generation of metal fans to the brilliance of Diamond Head. In 2022 Diamond Head are still a force to be reckoned with. I caught their set at this year’s Steelhouse Festival, and they were amazing. I was anticipating another banging performance this evening and they certainly didn’t disappoint!

With a short forty-five-minute set, they made sure that all eras of the band’s history were covered. The setting of St David’s Hall as a venue for a metal gig is always a risky choice with its set up of seating only. This had a detrimental effect for the first few songs of DH’s set with a lukewarm crowd who seemed to be restricted in building some momentum. Frontman Rasmus Bom Andersen does a sterling job of whipping up the crowd and he has a fantastic stage presence along with an extremely powerful voice. By the time we get to the three song closers of It’s Electric, Helpless and Am I Evil? the place is absolutely bouncing with everyone up on their feet, headbanging and horn throwing like their lives depended on it. Guitarist Brian Tatler still holds an impressive figure with his Flying V being wrangled to squeeze out every tasteful solo and gigantic riff. The rest of the band are no slouches either, an extremely impressive set, my only complaint is that it could have been a bit longer.

I know I’ve probably bored you all with this before, but I really can’t emphasize enough how important Saxon are in my musical development. At the age of thirteen, football was my passion and even though I religiously watched Top of the Pops every Thursday and listened to the charts on a Sunday, I didn’t find my calling until a boy I was in school with called Tim made me a tape of the Saxon compilation Strong Arm Metal. I had never heard music like this, and I was instantly in love. Pete Gill and Nigel Glockler are up there with my biggest drum heroes, and they inspired me to pick up a pair of sticks and start my own musical journey. Thank you so much Saxon, and Tim of course!

I was lucky enough to review Saxon’s latest album Carpe Diem earlier this year for this fine online magazine, (unbelievably their 23rd studio album) and loved it straight away. Some of their strongest material has been released in the last ten years or so and they are playing better than ever. I also saw Saxon at the Steelhouse festival in the summer when they graciously stood in when a certain guitarist who used to be in Kiss cancelled his performance. Saxon were on top form and played a blinder even with some of the band suffering from Covid at the time. They really are a class act.

The room is noticeably fuller by the time the band stroll onto the darkened stage to the sound of the stirring intro of the Carpe Diem album, and with a thunderous drum intro from Mr Glockler, we are off into full force Saxon at their best. They really put newer acts to shame with their boundless energy. Tasmanian Devil lookalike Nibs Carter literally doesn’t stop all night, running around furiously headbanging and jumping around like a teenager. The supremely talented Nigel Glockler is a delight to watch, his huge drum kit being battered for all its worth, and double bass drum barrages a plenty. Superb! The ever-present duo of Paul Quinn and Biff Byford are loving every minute and Biff’s voice sounds incredible. Doug Scarratt will forever be the new boy even though he’s been in the band since 1995, his guitar style and stage presence suit the band perfectly.

The set is a combination of new tracks from Carpe Diem, some old favourites, and some tracks they don’t play too often. It was great to hear Thin Red Line and Metalhead mixed in with Dallas 1PM and Heavy Metal Thunder. When Biff asks the audience which song they would like to hear out a choice of three, he jokes that they could probably do a week’s residence in Cardiff and play a different set every night… we might just hold you to that Biff! We end up with a fantastic rendition of The Eagle Has Landed which showcases Carter’s bass playing beautifully. The equally impressive sound mix and light show really highlights the atmosphere for this tune.

They pull out all the heavy hitters for the tail end of the set, And the Bands Played On, Wheels of Steel, a rousing performance of Carpe Diem highlight The Pilgrimage along with a Strong Arm of the Law/Solid Ball of Rock medley which leads seamlessly into their ‘should have been a number one single’ 747. We all witness a lovely moment during Denim & Leather when Biff catches a battle vest that a crowd member throws at him. He wears it until the guitar solo and then signs it and throws it back to the ecstatic fan. Quality. They close with Princess of the Night and confirm yet again that Saxon really are up there with the best in the world of metal. Looking around at the audience, it was great to see how many young people were in attendance wearing Saxon, Motorhead and Maiden shirts having the time of their lives. Bands like Saxon have worked so hard to maintain their roots as a true heavy metal band in every sense of the word. They deserve all the respect and success that continues to come their way. As Biff once sang: ‘Give us the stage, turn on the lights, fire up the sound, we’ll rock the nations’. They certainly stay true to their word.

Author: Kenny Kendrick

Bernie Tormé – ‘Final Fling’ (Self Release)

Bernie Tormé – ‘Final Fling’ (Self Release)

As the guitar dive bombs into a familiar sound, I have to be honest I had a lump in my throat but as soon as ‘Wild West’ unleashed its histrionics on my ears, I quickly decided that it was a great way to celebrate an iconic and much-loved exponent of the six-string and what better way to celebrate a life loved than in his natural environment – on stage banging out great Rock n Roll at high volume. Bernie Tormé was a Rock n Rolla from the moment he stepped out right up to his untimely departure on the eve of his 67th Birthday.

Tormé chose to let his music do the talking and naming his final tour – ‘Final Fling’ seems hauntingly prophetic now. The shows each night proved time and again that the Irishman had lost none of his joy of playing live, every night was the same in that he gave his all and it was always  – loud, brash, energetic, and did I say loud? and honest.

What you had live was the definition of power trio and after the decision not to record any of the shows, the band regretted not doing so – so loaded the gear into a live room and set up one more time to run through a set of classics numbers, spanning Tormé’s career. Featuring classics from across his solo career, as well as nods to his days in Ozzy Osbourne’s band and Gillan, ‘Final Fling’ captures the essence of what made Bernie Tormé so special.

The set list is of such a high pedigree with barnstorming takes on classics like ‘No Easy Way’ from his Gillan era as well as a few excellent Ozzy takes on ‘Mr Crowley’ and especially ‘Crazy Train’ complete with some dazzling guitar wizardry from those fingers. But if I was to pick a favourite over all the covers and tips of the hat to his past I’d go for the stunning ‘Star’ but the band is on fire on ‘Can’t Beat Rock n Roll’ and the Gillan era Elvis track ‘Trouble’ and this take of ‘New Orleans’ which always lit up a Gillan set. To be fair Tormé’s CV is quite exceptional from Ozzy and Gillan through his solo work or having Phil Lewis do some of his best work with Bernie or his time spend with Dee Snider through his solo material and the quite exceptional GMT line up Torme certainly saw it, bought the t-shirt and quite possibly played on the record.

Blow off some cobwebs on your speakers by blasting out this ‘Final Fling’ its exactly how a live recording should sound and having no audience is as it should be so Rest In Peace Mr Tormé and make sure there’s a Marshall stack and plenty of speakers up there for when you need to plug in and play on. Turn this bad boy up and let it rip!

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Author: Dom Daley

James Johnston & Steve Gullick – ‘Everybody’s Sunset’ (God Unknown records)

James Johnston & Steve Gullick – ‘Everybody’s Sunset’ (God Unknown records)

Photographer Steve Gullick and musician-artist James Johnston join forces for a boundary-pushing dive into a world of soundscapes that won’t come as a massive surprise to fans of either work. The pair first met in 1991 and formed the Bender, but it was much later that they decided to work on some experimental music. ‘Everybody’s Sunset’ is the second album released under their own names and follows on from 2021’s ‘We Travel Time’. The pair throw in a melting pot of violin, organ, guitar, banjo, autoharp, harmonica, piano, synthesisers to create a mostly instrumental soundscape that is both warm and cold yet distant and claustrophobically intense and generally headfuckin experimental post-rock. 

Experimental, avant-garde and all the other cliches you can throw at them but these guys are pushing the envelope of the outer reaches of a genre not contained in the tight confines that we usually like to put our music in. I admit right here I’m a massive fan of Johnston be it his solo work and Gallon Drunk this is well outside of my comfort zone. One of my favourite albums is David Sylvian’s ‘Secrets Of The Beehive’ and this is way outside most of Sylvian’s soundscape work so fans of that would be able to picture where I’m at.

At times it sounds so fractured that it could be made up on the spot and improvised as the song unfolds especially the instrumental stuff. But it is dark and light and pretty much every other juxtaposed feelings it’s way beyond Reed’s darkness or Bowie’s Berlin records I like it when PJ Harvey takes you further away from the boundaries of indie or rock music. I admire what I would consider being a brave record and some artists draw you in and take you with them on that journey and James certainly has done that over the years. Songs with ‘Sleep’, ‘Silence’ and ‘Medevil Death Song’ in the title bring up all sorts of jovial connotations I’m sure but are all totally fitting on this record.

I admit Instrumentals on rock records are generally a big miss for me but at times on less conventional records I quite like a good soundscape here the songs are generally short except for the epic title track that clocks in a shade under ten minutes. Wheezing strings make way for a solemn piano and vocal and goes on endlessly towards its final breath, epic is the best word to describe it and a fitting song to end on. Outsiders looking in should give themselves up entirely and reap the rewards of the bleak darkness and glowing warmth of this record I’m sure at different times of the day it will be different emotions being pricked when ‘Everybody’s Sunset’ is spun. Check it out

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The Speedways – ‘Talk Of The Town’ (Snap!! Records, Hurrah Musica & Beluga Records)

The Speedways – ‘Talk Of The Town’ (Snap!! Records, Hurrah Musica & Beluga Records)

If power pop is your thing, The Speedways are already on your radar. And with this, their third ‘proper’ album, I’m running out of superlatives fast. Put simply, since ‘Just Another Regular Summer’, they haven’t put a foot wrong. Quite how Matt and the boys come up with so many ear worms, I have no idea.

‘Dead From The Heart Down’, from the first heartbeat, will have you hooked. It’s like the first time I heard the debut album by The Jags, the attention to detail is fantastic, but it’s the tunes that stay with you. ‘Secret Secrets’ is the kind of song that I wish Johnny Marr would write, the guitars weaving between the sweet backing vocals.

‘Shoulda Known’ is one of my favourite songs this year, another that should be on the radio. Here comes the key change…classic. 1979 was an amazing year for pop music, and The Speedways, while not chained to the past, have absorbed the very best bits of the era to create essentially timeless pop songs. ‘A Drop In The Ocean’ starts with a Kinks ‘So Tired’ which wrongfoots you before the song proper begins. Another slice of romantic pop.

Thirteen songs and no need to fast forward. That doesn’t happen often, and guitarist Mauro has plenty of experience in this from his time in Jonny Cola And The A-Grades. From ‘Kiss Me Goodbye’ to ‘Strange Love’, you can just immerse yourself in perfectly crafted pop. It sounds effortless, but really isn’t.

‘Weekend 155’ is this album’s ‘This Is About A Girl…’, taking the band in a slightly different direction, which satisfies more with each listen. The title track gets a bit funky, which reminds me of some of Hanoi’s early tunes, a big compliment! It’s subtle but classy. ‘A Song Called Jayne…’ is the kind of riff you try to write, but never quite manage. Unless you’re Matt or Mauro.

‘Monday Was The Start Of The Stars’, with its conversation intro, and ‘Summer’s Over’ provide melancholy, bittersweet moments, with a hint of Jimmy Scott in there somewhere. Class.

I’d be very happy to have written only ‘Taken’ or ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time’, and would retire. The Speedways have written an album chock full of ‘em. You think I’m exaggerating? Listen, then order. Treat your ears. Undoubtedly ‘Power Pop Album Of The Year’.

Buy Here / Beluga Records

Author: Martin Chamarette

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Rich Ragany And The Digressions ” Beyond Nostalgia And Heartache” Video

Rich Ragany And The Digressions ” Beyond Nostalgia And Heartache” Video

Beyond Nostalgia And Heartache –

One night around Gaff’s for a few drinks, Kit was sitting cross-legged on the floor and talking about an Aerosmith song she loved…the feeling it gave her…  “…it’s… it’s like… beyond nostalgia and heartbreak!” 

“What did you JUST SAY?” (all this over blasting tunes and half-filled glasses)

That struck me as an incredibly beautiful thing to say. I changed heartbreak for heartache so it sang better and there ya go…. I ran and wrote it!

It’s a song about yearning to find joy… the peaks and valleys of striving for something you love… the feeling of the chorus melody and those harmonies lift you to a place that reassures you… you can still reach out… even through the hard times… sometimes the idea is all you have. But it can be lifesaving and special.

Not losing the dream in the struggle.

Craig captured that feeling perfectly… with every first guitar there are a lot of papers to deliver AND a lot joy… To try… and love what we do.

The video has a lot of heart and special locations… like the street and area in Wood Green Jeannie was born into… the wonderful All Ages Records (allagesrecords.com) in Camden… Denmark Street’s Regents Sound (regent sounds.com) guitar shop in Soho right across the street from the 12 Bar Club where I once worked and played many times… Jeannie even plays a guitar close friend Olivia Airey (Bassist in Berlin metal band Maggot Heart) gifted her years ago… 

The band live footage was even shot in Camden Assembly (formerly The Barfly… where I  first met  my wife after a show on tour from New York)

It stars my daughter Jeannie… which brings it all full circle.

All in all a fitting last single and video for an album that has been so special for us… and sets up the forthcoming album nicely.

Album available at…

Bandcamp / Facebook  / Instagram – @richraganyandthedigressions

Rich Ragany & The Digressions are also playing SOME WEIRD SIN at The Finsbury this coming Friday alongside Continental Lovers and David Ryder Prangley … and it’s free!!!

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Steelhouse Festival get Airbourne for 2023

Steelhouse Festival get Airbourne for 2023

Steelhouse Festival are elated to announce that the Saturday headliners for the 28-30 July 2023 weekend are now in place. Australian hard-rockers Airbourne are confirmed to make their Steelhouse debut, in their only UK festival show of 2023. With more truly exciting announcements still coming down the track, we also already have more incredible bands locked in right now, including Friday headliners Kris Barras, plus The Answer, Blues Pills, Florence Black, The Vintage Caravan, The Damn Truth, Austin Gold, Kira Mac, Empyre, The Cruel Knives and Jordan Red. 

Buy tickets Here

Over a decade has passed since the inaugural Steelhouse in 2011, and the Festival at the top of the mountain boasts not only the best views of any UK rock event but one of the most passionate, friendly and loyal followings. With a reputation for not only bringing in the biggest and best names from the international world of Rock, Steelhouse also understands the role it can play in throwing open its prestigious stage to the best of the new breed of bands. It all adds up to a compelling mix of classic and cutting edge, old and new, near and far –  in this announcement alone we have acts from Australia, Canada, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Iceland, England and the Steelhouse homeland of Wales.

Airbourne said, “Wales! What’s crackin!! Are ya ready to rock or what!! We’ve bloody missed you! We’re pumped to finally get our arses back up your way to rock your mighty Steelhouse! Tons of great bands on the bill, it’s gonna be a great summer weekend of boozin’ good times and Rock’n’Roll, can’t wait for it! See ya in July Welsh rockers!! Rock’n’Roll TO THE F*****’ MAX!!!”

Promoters Max Rhead and Mikey Evans said, “Australia – one of the hardest rocking countries on Earth…Its fine lineage of world-class artists is legendary, especially those whose names begin with the letter ‘A’!  And with that, we are so proud to bring Warrnambool, Victoria’s finest rock n roll machine, Airbourne to South Wales next summer… Theirs is a show that, in the greatest Antipodean tradition, carries maximum high-voltage, full-tilt, blood, guts and thunder… Everything is left on the stage. Their Steelhouse debut heads up this first round of announcements which is heavy on talent from around the globe. Canada’s The Damn Truth and Icelandic trio The Vintage Caravan also make their first trips up The Mountain whilst SH2023 sees the welcome return of Sweden’s Blues Pills and Northern Ireland’s, The Answer. Add to that the very best new talent from England as well as our very own local lads – the German stadium-strutting Merthyr massive, Florence Black, we’ve got a bill that rocks hard and that gathers the best of international talent in July 2023. There is a lot more to come, including another international, globally renowned artist who’ll be making their first Steelhouse headline appearance… 


So, once again let’s get ready to Rocio y Mynydd / Rock the Mountain!”