“We can’t wait to hit the stage live again and it’ll be great to be able to play fresh new material, plus some tracks not heard live before” says Guy Griffin “I think people are going to be surprised.”
. The Cowboys in Pinstriped Suits Tour Part 1
Dec 12th – Bradford, Nightrain (with Revenant, Liberty Slaves & Alan Clayton) Dec13th – Newcastle, The Cluny (with Revenant) Dec18th – Llandudno, Motorsport Lounge (with Revenant) Dec 20th London, Camden Underworld (with The Dirty Strangers & The Electrics)
Alan Clayton will be opening in Bradford with Revenant and Liberty Slaves. Revenant will be supporting in Bradford and Newcastle and bringing his ‘solo no solos’ acoustic set to Llandudno. The Dirty Strangers appear as special guests in London.
Black Eyed Sons return with the brand-new video of their cover of Mink DeVille’s classic ‘Savoir Faire’, featuring a guest appearance from Alan Clayton of The Dirty Strangers.
The “Savoir Faire” video pairs Black Eyed Sons’ raw energy with a cinematic homage to the Bowery, Times Square neon, and the pulse of downtown rock clubs. It’s a love letter to the era that shaped them, reminding us that the attitude of Mink DeVille still resonates fiercely in modern rock ’n’ roll.
“We wanted a live performance video but also a rough storyline rooted in the New York rock ’n’ roll scene of the mid-seventies,” says Guy Griffin. “That era was incredible, and so many of those NY bands, including Mink DeVille were a huge influence on me. Alan and I are both big fans, and it was fantastic to have Steve Conte involved too, as he actually played in Willy DeVille’s band.”
The track marks the final release from Black Eyed Sons’ UK Number One album, Cowboys in Pinstriped Suits, and lands just as the band are out on their first run of UK shows this December.
The Cowboys in Pinstriped Suits Tour Part 1, continues into venues across the country. Joining the band on select dates will be Revenant, The Dirty Strangers, Liberty Slaves and Alan Clayton.
“Tell It to the Ghosts”, written and performed by Camden-based Northern Irish singer-songwriter Matty James Cassidy, is a brooding, acoustic-led track with a noir atmosphere. Channelling the shadowy storytelling and grit of Tom Waits and Nick Cave, it explores memory, loss, and the ghosts we carry. Intimate and cinematic in feel, this is indie rock with depth, character, and pulse.
Matty hits the road supporting the Quireboys on their UK tour — plus a few final solo shows to close out 2025 Here
SO FAR FROM HOME, ED, IVOR & GANG WIND BACK THE CLOCK AND BLOW THE REST OF THE WORLD AWAY – AGAIN
In 1976 it was the English press who climbed on board with The Saints first. The weekly music newspaper Sounds in particular, with their multiple “The Single of This and Any Other Week” reviews, recognized that these Brisbane outcasts had beaten their homegrown punks to the punch. The US press also came on board, in particular Creemandthe punk zines like Slash and Bomp!; the yanks seemed to really recognize the Saints connections to pre-punk high energy outfits like the Stooges… All the while the Australian media of the day looked on with a fair amount of bemusement.
Fast forward 49 years, and with The Saints ’73-’78 having just completed a run of US dates and now on the UK & Euro leg of their world tour, it’s deja vu all over again in terms of the response in the upper hemisphere… This time it’s the American press who’ve taken the lead – natch, given the American shows came first – and who are hailing the band as something akin to the second coming, singling out the ferocity and brilliance of Ed Kuepper‘s guitar playing, the singular swing of Ivor Hay‘s drumming and Mark Arm‘s ability to fill the shoes of the late great Chris Bailey – or perhaps to wear different but equally as appropriate footwear – in particular:
Under The Radar: “Watching Kuepper play guitar is like watching someone at the very top of his game … do things with his right hand that humans shouldn’t be able to do… Kuepper always had a tone and sound that resonated with a heaviness that most punk bands couldn’t pull off. Therefore, it was just STUNNING to see it done live…. Out of everything I’ve seen this year, I can’t think of anything more exciting and thrilling. This was one of those performances that makes this longtime fan grateful to be there and to be alive!”
Backbeat Seattle: “Kuepper’s churning, propulsive rhythm guitar (every bit as essential to the Saints’ early acclaim as Chris Bailey’s vocals) has lost none of its razor edge and Hay’s solid drumming pushes the band along at a brisk clip. Mick Harvey’s tasteful leads added a nice bite and Mark Arm’s vocals were just what the punk rock doctor ordered.”
Illinois Entertainer: ‘“(I’m) Stranded” brought the audience to a fever pitch, inciting a full-throated singing from the fans as well as some semi-moshy behavior among rowdy older punks near the barrier. “Know Your Product”… maintained the crowd’s peak energy with the Saints’ influential blend of catchy brass licks and the jet-engine roar of Kuepper’s guitar.”
Spill Magazine: “They really had no choice but to perform “Nights In Venice,” a track from their debut album, (I’m) Stranded. The song explodes, and it’s no surprise that the crowd erupts at the end. Kuepper and Hay have formed an eight-piece band who perform a tight and rocking version of the song. The energy is incredible. This is followed by “No Time,” a track from the same album. Again, the band grabs the song and turns it into a force of nature.”
Chris Morris (esteemed LA music writer – RS, Variety, Billboard etc):“The Saints show at the Teragram tonight could not have been better if I had dreamed it myself… Beginning with “This Perfect Day” and ending with a second encore of the inevitable raver “Nights in Venice,” the band dug deep into the meat of their formidable early catalog… Kuepper… lashed the crowd with dense, intense, feedback-laced playing all night… Mark Arm … laid down a stupendous performance that deftly channeled the spirit and sound of the group’s co-founder Chris Bailey… A lot of friends were in the house, and at the end of the gig they unanimously talked about the show with excited ecstasy. Further words are failing me at the moment. ”
Hudley Flipside (Flipside magazine legend!): “Ed moved with his guitar like electricity. As Ivor drummed perfection and consistency as the full moon above us. The lights… made our eyes close and tune into that place of lyrics in our hearts when we sung loudly with Mark Arm…”
Falling James (of Leaving Trains & LA Weekly fame): “All around me at Teragram Ballroom, people were spinning and shaking and stomping and screaming and singing along or staring upward silently in rapt fascination, fully mesmerized and in a state of wide-eyed shock and sheer, unadulterated, pure, ever-loving joy… as founding guitarist Ed Kuepper summoned forth those monumental, incendiary, massive guitar riffs that frame some of the greatest songs of all time, all hammered home with stunning authority by founding Saints drummer Ivor Hay and such estimable all-stars as, you know, Mudhoney vocalist Mark Arm, the Birthday Party guitarist Mick Harvey and Sunnyboys bassist Peter Oxley…. “
Of course, the band’s audiences were star-studded too, with the likes of Jello Biafra, Thurston Moore, Steve Turner (Mudhoney), Stephen Malkmus (Pavement), Penelope Houston (The Avengers), Ian MacKaye, Guy Picciotto & Brendan Candy (all from Fugazi), Matt Sweeney (The Hard Quartet), Mac (Superchunk), Mary Timony (Wild Fang) and many others making the scene.
Not to be outdone, the Brits – who we should not let forget actually dumped on our boys a bit back in ’77 after the initial outpouring of adoration because Ed, Chris, Ivor and Kym did not give two f**ks about the rules that quickly bound the London punk scene – are also responding ecstatically to the band, who played their first shows their last week, and who did a live session for Mark Riley on BBC6 on the weekend from the BBC’s legendary Maida Vale studios.
The Yorkshire Post: “A judiciously chosen set pares down the catalogue to perhaps their 19 best songs which Arm delivers brilliantly in either an Iggy Pop-like drawl or full-throated rasp. This Perfect Day is especially brutal… All in all, a stunning reminder of the raw power of one of the finest punk bands ever.”
The band will have come off stage at the Electric Ballroom in London around the I hit send on this – we look forward to reading the responses to that.
For those of us who can’t be there, there are still copies of a new TheSaints ’73-’7812″ EPLive Nights in Venice Vol.1– released on In The Red and limited to a crazy 800 copies only – available (along with loads of cool merch) via The Saints ’73-’78 official website. But it before disappears forever or have a listen via the usual digital outlets.
Last May, Dead Pioneers, the indigenous punk rock band from Denver, played their debut headline London gig at The Dome in North London. Over two albums – their self-titled debut in 2023 and ‘PO$T AMERICAN’ from earlier this year – the band have concocted a unique blend of politically charged spoken word, hypnotic post-rock and punk roots that really came alive within the sweat drenched walls of The Dome.
This first London appearance was such an important show for the band that Ron Rom Scalpello, the film maker and music journalist who started his career at seventeen years old working for legendary English music paper Sounds, wanted to document the event. Among many other creative works, Ron has directed many music videos (including The Prodigy’s ‘Voodoo People’) and was the perfect person to capture this unique band at a pivotal point in their career.
“It felt like this was an important moment in the band’s trajectory,” explains Ron. “They had released two amazing albums and ‘PO$T AMERICAN’ was such a prescient, urgent album, it felt that their prestigious first London gig needed to be filmed as we are at a unique moment in time when freedom of speech is under intense pressure on both sides of the Atlantic. They are in the middle of the storm, unapologetically holding power to account and independent venues like the Dome have always been the natural home for grassroots counterculture to interrogate, explore and make us question the stories we are fed.
“I was brought up with alternative music with bold voices, like Gil Scott Heron, Public Enemy, Dead Kennedys, The Clash, Gang of Four, The Slits and The Specials, Rage Against The Machine who used punk, hip-hop, spoken word and ska to supply audiences with an education in dissent and encourage confidence to challenge class politics, power dynamics and the rapacious nature free market capitalism,” continues Ron. “Music, like books, was always a place for personal and political growth. They shape us, define us and challenge preconceived ideas around identity and your place in the world.”
Through interviews and live footage from the gig, “Everything Counts Presents Dead Pioneers Live From The Dome” really gets to the heart of the words and sounds that make Dead Pioneers so distinctive. Produced by Sujata Naik and directed by Ron Rom Scalpello, the film is now available to view in full HERE.
“We are thrilled to have been part of this short film with Ron,” says frontman Gregg Deal. “Ron reached out to Hassle Records about documenting our headlining show at The Dome. He had already connected with our music and its subject matter, and he was eager to capture that first London headliner in a sold-out room Downstairs at The Dome. We were honoured to have him and his crew there.
“This feels like the first of many moments of growth for Dead Pioneers, and we’re grateful to have shared it with Ron,” continues Gregg. “Documenting not only our performance but also our words — within this political and social movement, through a cultural and Indigenous lens — is something deeply meaningful to us. As we continue to find our voice, we also find action, healing, support, and compassion through this medium of music. Ron’s care and thoughtfulness, both in his documentation and in his interview questions, were essential to capturing this moment — and we’re truly humbled by his work.”
Dead Pioneers are confirmed to play their first EU and UK headline tour in February and March, 2026. Support for all UK shows comes from Yakkie, featuring Janey Starling formerly of Dream Nails. Go HERE for tickets.
The band have already commenced work on their third album, due for release in 2026.
See Dead Pioneers at the following dates in the UK and EU in 2026:
King Records in collaboration with Silver Lining Music will release the Japanese Edition of No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em AllonWednesday, December 24th.
Included in this edition is a standout bonus track from British hard rock royalty Girlschool: a defiant and electrifying take on Metallica’s ‘Hit The Lights’, featuring bona fide shred lord Joe Stump and Alcatrazz. The performance serves as one of the all-star compilation key highlights, offering Japanese fans a unique and essential addition to the CD release.
No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em Allis a colossal celebration of the most propulsive debut album in heavy metal history, re-imagined by the legends who inspired it and the generations that came in its wake!
The veteran likes of Saxon, DiamondHead, and Motörhead, (three of Metallica’s favourite bands) are joined by rising stars such as Tailgunner and Swedish prog metallers Soen to create a who’s-who of heavy music, with each performer lending their unique sound to one classic track. The Almighty deliver a particularly confrontational cover of ‘The Four Horsemen’, a release that saw the hard rockers return to the studio with their founding line-up for the first time since 1991. Contributions from thrash giants Testament, ex-Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, and New Wave of British Heavy Metal linchpins Tygers of Pan Tang show the label looking beyond their own artists to amass the greatest lineup possible. Joining the super star line-up are the legendary Raven (closing with the thundering anthemic “Metal Militia”) who were part of Metallica’s first-ever tour, 1983’s famous Kill ‘Em All For One venture.
Watch the official videos produced for the compilation and stream the album in full here.
No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em Allis an ambitious achievement worthy of Metallica’s game-changing legacy. By the fans and for the fans, it reaffirms the Four Horsemen’s ironclad influence – and its stacked roster continues the band’s mission to shove metal up your ass!
No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All Japanese CD Edition track-listing:
Hit The Lights (Tailgunner)
The Four Horsemen (The Almighty)
Motorbreath (Soen)
Jump In The Fire (Tygers Of Pan Tang)
(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth (David Ellefson)
Whiplash (Motörhead)
Phantom Lord (Saxon)
No Remorse (Diamond Head)
Seek & Destroy (Testament)
Metal Militia (Raven)
Hit The Lights (Girlschool feat Alcatrazz, feat Joe Stump) [Bonus Track]
No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All Japanese Edition is available to pre-order on CD at this location.
Download and stream Girlschool – Hit The Lights (feat. Alcatrazz, feat. Joe Stump) here.
FROM UPCOMING FIFTH ALBUM: ‘DAGGER’ OUT 6 FEBRUARY, VIA KIND VIOLENCE RECORDS
ON TOUR THIS NOVEMBER, PLUS FURTHER UK TOUR DATES IN 2026
One of the most urgent, immediate and irrepressible tracks the band have delivered to date, “Warning Signs” is a lightning bolt of realisation and unrequited love.
Of the track, vocalist Adam Houghton says:
”I wanted to write from a place of regret — that gut-wrenching moment when you realise pride and fear have cost you the person you love. The song is a confession and a plea, filled with what-ifs and too-lates. I wanted the repetition and directness to feel desperate, like someone haunted by what they didn’t say soon enough. It’s about confronting the pain of being without the one who grounded you and understanding too late that love requires vulnerability. The goal was to make the emotion feel raw, honest, and painfully human.’’
New single “Warning Signs” is an unignorable reminder of the band’s highly awaited fifth album ‘DAGGER’, as produced by Joe Cross (Hurts, Courteeners, Slow Readers Club). It arrives on 6 February 2026, via the band’s own Kind Violence Records.
The new track comes complete with an official video shot by Joyce Van Doorn and edited by Shaolin Pete. Featuring live and backstage footage from IST IST’s triumphant recent tour of Europe, it’s a tantalising reminder for what’s to come at their upcoming UK comeback shows, which kick-off this week in Leeds, Glasgow, London, and Birmingham (28th November – 6th December, check dates below).
IST IST will also be hitting the road again in April 2026, with additional shows in Norwich, Exeter, Oxford, Newcastle, Sheffield, Nottingham, Bristol, and Brighton, paving the way towards their biggest hometown show to date, at Manchester’s Albert Hall in May. All dates are listed below, with all tickets on sale now.
Catch IST IST marking their decade-long career and playing new music from ‘DAGGER’ at the following UK shows:
IST IST – 2025/26 EUROPE & UK TOUR DATES
Friday 28th November – Leeds – Warehouse Saturday 29th November – Glasgow – Oran Mor Friday 5th December – London – 229 Saturday 6th December – Birmingham – O2 Academy2 ****
THURSDAY 9th APRIL – NORWICH – THE WATERFRONT ** JUST ADDED ** SATURDAY 11th APRIL – EXETER PHOENIX ** JUST ADDED **
SUNDAY 12th APRIL – OXFORD – 02 ACADEMY2 ** JUST ADDED **
THURSDAY 16th APRIL – NEWCASTLE – THE GROVE ** JUST ADDED **
SATURDAY 18th APRIL – SHEFFIELD • NETWORK ** JUST ADDED **
THURSDAY 23rd APRIL – NOTTINGHAM • RESCUE ROOMS ** JUST ADDED **
FRIDAY 24th APRIL – BRISTOL – THEKLA ** JUST ADDED ** SATURDAY 25th APRIL – BRIGHTON – QUARTERS ** JUST ADDED **
Friday 1st May 2026 – Manchester – Albert Hall w/ Support from DESPERATE JOURNALIST + THE YOUTH PLAY
Saturday night in Newport is never that appetising a proposition for yours truly, but when it’s a three-course feast of DIY punk rock on offer, headlined by those scamps Bad Sam launching their third album ‘Trauma’, (you can read the review HERE on RPM), then I’ll certainly be more than happy to tuck in.
For starters, tonight we have Celtic folk punker No Murder No Moustache, followed by local community music project The Nanaz. Both acts are wildly different in what they do; however, both appear to immediately tap into the pulse of what the good people of Newport are looking for on a Saturday night out. The former has the room bouncing to his very own brand of serious yet humorous folk punk, and the latter provides 40 minutes of almost Velvet Underground-like experimental proto-punk, which has The Pit’s dancefloor the fullest I’ve ever seen it. In fact, the Nanaz are probably the most punk thing I’ve seen in quite some time.
“Turn it up cunts.” Dean Beddis and Richard Glover are in da house, people, and suddenly, with drum loops blasting at maximum volume, I could very easily be at some foam party in Ibiza, but of course I’m not, I’m in a basement bar in Newport, and I’m about to get officially traumatised by Bad Sam.
Having successfully teamed up with electro wizard Luke Vibert to remix their recent ‘Popcorn & Blood’ single, and in turn making themselves minor internet sensations, it’s no surprise that the duo choose to open with an extended version of said tune, and almost immediately any memories I might have had of the Bad Sam of old are out the fire exit. Beddis is still barefoot, contorting his body into shapes many frontmen half his age would find unimaginable, barking out his lyrics straight into the faces of the front row, goading and laughing whilst always making you think, meanwhile Glover, now the master of all things wires and valves (as in programming) and not just guitar, opens up his magic box of sounds and together the duo unleash music that would be much more at home on Wax Trax! than Fat Wreck.
Here in the UK it’s Property of The Lost who have in enough belief in Bad Sam to make ‘Trauma’ a reality (in more ways than one) and tonight is all about this record, the band’s long awaited third, with the likes of ‘The Van’, ‘Pedigree Poor’ and ‘Perpetual Consumption’ all following with unyielding intensity.
The patter between Beddis and Glover and Beddis and the audience helps provide the yin to the musical yang, so to speak, as subjects as diverse as Chinese death vans and getting spunk on your shoes are tackled as only these guys know how.
After a pulsating (I think) yet to be officially titled new track, based on the duo’s council estate roots, we are straight back into ‘Trauma’ for a rip ride through ‘Salute The Media’, and ‘Tupperware Death Party’ before ‘Emotional Hostage’ brings things to a chaotic conclusion.
After four gigs in five days, I’ve seen everything from post-punk and NWOBHM legends to Australian punk rock royalty, yet tonight was the absolute icing on the gig cake for me. Of course, I do wonder if I’ll ever get to hear the likes of ‘American Fat Fucks’ and/or ‘I Love The Port’ live ever again, but right now Bad Sam are all about the ‘Trauma’ of surviving in 2025….and I fucking loves it.
SEE THE BAND LIVE AT THE 100 CLUB, LONDON ON JANUARY 28TH FOR THEIR ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY – TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
Medicine music for the mind, spirit & soul
Imagine Janis Joplin jamming with the Small Faces, down at Withnail and I’s place. Charles Bukowski is manning the bar, Malcolm McLaren is handling the guest list, and Terence Stamp and Julie Christie are canoodling in a corner. Now you’re getting a sense of the weird and wonderful world of The Studio 68!. A high-octane rock ’n’ roll band formed in North London steeped in late ’60s and early ’70s influences, they were destined for stardom in the early ’90s before their chaotic lifestyle derailed them. One explosive Camden performance caused MOJO magazine to remark, “It was the night the foundation stone of Britpop was laid.”
Regenerated, Doctor-Who style, in 2023 as a rollicking rock ’n’ roll outfit fronted by lead vocalist Dani Turner, the six-piece have since blown the doors off everywhere from the ‘Shiiine On’ festival to Camp Bestival and are now ready to unfurl their new album Rollin’ upon the world.
Set for release this coming February 20th, 2026, via the legendary UK mod and punk label Detour Records, the album will be available on CD, download and as a limited-edition bright orange vinyl Rizla-style sleeve, with a lush gatefold for paper Rollin’ ease.
Recorded in London with legendary producer Brian O’Shaughnessy (Primal Scream/Rumer), Rollin’ sees the 68! fusing elements of funk, soul, jazz and blues to create a modern classic and this week the psychedelic express that is The Studio ’68! & Dani Turner rolls back into town in spectacular style with brand-new single ‘Need A Miracle’ – a gilt-edged rock ’n’ soul anthem, it fuses a relentless four-to-the-floor Northern Soul groove with a tune worthy of peak-era Fleetwood Mac. All welded to a lacerating lyrical examination of the pop process.
If that wasn’t enough, the whole thing is sent stratospheric by the extraordinary vocals of powerhouse lead singer Dani Turner. As powerful as P.P. Arnold and as raunchy as namesake Tina, Turner’s diamonds-on-sandpaper delivery on ‘Need A Miracle’ brings to mind the larynx-busting majesty of Merry Clayton’s vocals on the Stones’ Gimme Shelter’.
“‘Need A Miracle’ is a cautionary tale for anyone thinking about entering this weird and wonderful business,” says band spokesman Paul Moody. “It’s a tribute to every band that has ever fallen foul of the music biz — an aural ragu for a dish served cold.”
Recorded at the iconic Bark Studio in Walthamstow, Rollin’ is a passionate love letter to rock ’n’ roll’s late ’60s and early ’70s heyday; it’s a 35-minute blast of grooviness, littered with sonic and lyrical nods to everyone from Brian Auger And The Trinity to Delaney & Bonnie, Bobbie Gentry to Deep Purple.
The standard of musicianship is, frankly, sickening — check out Thrill Heaven’s mesmeric Hammond playing on six-minute epic ‘Time Slips Through Your Hands’, while the one-in-a-generation vocal talent of Dani Turner brings to mind everyone from Elkie Brooks to Beth Ditto; Betty Davis to Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard. And that’s just the Bs.
Each of the ten tracks is also constructed with an attention to detail worthy of the Brill Building. An epic ‘The Way It Is’ holds up a (black) mirror to Britain in 2025, a country where hope has been reduced to a game-show appearance or a betting slip, while ‘Seasons’ is an other-worldly meditation on loss reminiscent of Traffic at their most transcendental. ‘Turn Off Your Mind’ is a Fantastic Negrito-style groove decrying tech-consumerism, while ‘Wasn’t Ready’ is a breezy meditation on the fleeting nature of existence worthy of Rod’s Never a Dull Moment. The overall effect is an album which will stay on your turntable for months.
Musically there are nods to everyone from Rod Stewart and the Faces (Wasn’t Ready’) to Traffic (a sublime ‘Seasons’) to Stephen Stills’ Manassas (Funky People’), but lyrically Rollin’ is bang up to date. ‘The Way It Is’ holds up a (black) mirror to Britain in 2025 — a country where hope now comes in the shape of a TV game-show appearance or a betting slip — while ‘Hall of Mirrors’ addresses the distorting gaze of social media. ‘Turn Off Your Mind’, meanwhile, is a swampy mantra reminiscent of retro-centric fellow traveller Fantastic Negrito. All filtered through a Technicolor lens of good vibes and boundless positivity.
For the ’68!, it’s not just about the music. Their rock ’n’ roll travelling show is powered by an over-arching band philosophy, deeply rooted in the progressive social and cultural spirit of 1968.
“We’re here to bring the joy — and the danger — back into rock ’n’ roll,” says band spokesman Paul Moody. “The psychedelic express is picking up speed and we’d love you to come along for the ride.”
Dani and the ’68! will be playing this and other choice cuts from Rollin’’ at their not-to-be-missed album launch at the legendary 100 Club on Wednesday January 28, which will see the band joined by XL, newcomers Raw Sonik, and an all-star DJ line-up of Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills (editor of Shindig!), Andy Lewis (Blow Up) and cult dancefloor mavericks Uncertain Ratio. Plus light show and a host of surprises!
Putting this album on loud is like dancing in the rain and not giving a flying fuck who’s watching, it’s a slice of joy and like climbing the Rocky steps and fist punching the air. Graeme Mackinnon and Clint Frazier have delivered another all-over-the-shop album with pulsating synths, hardcore riffs and pop choruses. Imagine Numan had joined Agnostic Front. The music is exciting and at times breathtaking, and if you thought 2025 couldn’t get any better, get involved in this brand-new epic Home Front album.
It’s like the sound of the best ever art house flick soundtrack with 70s horror movie synths ‘Light Sleeper’, With early Depeche Mode drum synths and parp on ‘Between The Waves’, if this was on guitar it would be brutal with the most exquisite pop melody laid on top.
On previous releases, “Games of Power” and “Think of the Lie,” Frazier and Mackinnon gave us a glimpse into what could be, and here they’ve realised what it is they were searching for. The world might be turning to shit, but this is the soundtrack to oblivion where you can go down with a smile and toast to the good times.
Splashed over twelve beautiful songs, this might just be the finest offering of the year. The riff and layered synth of ‘Eulogy’ is awesome. It’s like a post apocolypse soundtrack as the first flowers bloom and we step out into the sun. ‘For The Children (Fuck All)’ is just street punk – raw and thumping with gang vocals that Chubby and his gang love to sing about. ‘Kiss The Sky’ adds some Gothic synths to proceedings. ‘Always This Way’ could have been the go-to on the Back To The Future Soundtrack with its thugish vocals and huge layers of vocals on the chorus. Watch it Die is the sound of some guys who’ve totally nailed what they had swirling around in their heads and mashing up synths and hardcore isn’t an easy task at all, and the two worlds in the wrong hands should never ever work, but Home Front absolutely nail it, mashing up their own genre in the process.
Go back after you’ve embraced this fully and investigate ‘Games Of Power’ and see how we got to this point. What a banging album this is, and ending with the euphoric ‘Empire’ isn’t a lucky mistake, this album is the near-perfect ebb and flow that all albums should have. Widescreen cinematic soundscapes with hardcore guitars and pop melodies are the futur,e and it starts right here with ‘Watch It Die’. Go get some you wont even need 3D glasses.
Michael Monroe releases the irresistibly anthemic second single ‘Disconnected’ from forthcoming new studio album Outerstellar, set for release on February 20th via Silver Lining Music. For pre-orders go to this location.
‘Disconnected’ speaks of something that Michael Monroe feels passionately about: that live music is a rare and vital space for people to find each other in the moment.
“Technology was supposed to bring people closer together, when, in fact, people are more disconnected than ever. They’re looking at their phones and their computers and downloading stuff” comments Michael Monroe. “And, you know, the Internet can’t take away the experience of being at a live show. You’re on stage, and you communicate with the audience who are there, in that moment. That‘s where the magic really happens, and absolutely no program or device or computer can reproduce that!”
The new album Outerstellar, is an experience as much as a collection of great songs, a sweet smelling, leathery, glitter-shimmered, sweat-soaked raunch and punch wrapped in one of the great voices in rock ‘n’ roll. The harmonies and vibes roll effortlessly in silk scarves, lounging in leather pants with liquor and a smile on a beat-up sofa in those small AM hours. And the sheer attitude, which screams carefree (not careless!) confidence (not arrogance!), a cocksure sense of self-bathed in the sheer joy of playing real rock ‘n’ roll the right way.
The recently released first video and single, ‘Rockin’ Horse’, is a defiant blast against critics and judges and comes with one of the craziest Michael Monroe videos you’ve ever seen. “I am who I am and I’m not going to edit myself for your benefit,” Michael says unequivocally for anyone who might doubt that fact.
From loud crashing guitars to harmonicas, to gorgeous acoustic moments, you’ll sing, you’ll dance, you’ll shiver, you’ll shake, and you’ll smell this wonderful exhilarating record in all its weathered biker jacket incense-coated glory and you’ll also realize that whatever the hell is going on in the world right now, when you put this album on, it’s an instant escape to carefree days and an emancipation from worries, fears and woes.
Outerstellar will see a whole burst of life onstage when Michael Monroe and the band bring it to stages internationally over the next year. It is EXACTLY what rock ‘n’ roll in its truest sense is meant to be, in fact, just stop reading this, get off your ‘Rockin’ Horse’ and go see Michael Monroe on tour at your first opportunity! In support of the release of Outerstellar, Michael Monroe and band will embark on a UK co-headline tour with Buckcherry, kicking off in Southampton on February 24th. For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit: michaelmonroe.com – more dates to be announced.
2025:
24 Nov Rock Beyond Rock Vol. 2, Osaka (JP)
25 Nov EX THEATER ROPPONGI, Minato City (JP)
2026:
24 Feb The 1865, Southampton (UK)
25 Feb O2 Ritz, Manchester (UK)
27 Feb KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton (UK)
28 Feb Northumbria Institute, Newcastle (UK)
1 Mar SWG3, Glagsgow (UK)
3 Mar Tramshed, Cardiff (UK)
4 Mar The Foundry, Torquay (UK)
6 Mar Rock City, Nottingham (UK)
7 Mar O2 Forum, London (UK)
8 Mar Chalk, Brighton (UK)
3-7 Apr Underground Garage Cruise, Miami (US) to Cozumel (MX)
Outerstellarwill be available on Limited Edition 12” White Vinyl, 12” Turquoise Vinyl, 12” Black Vinyl, CD Digipak, Digital Download, Streaming and special D2C bundles. Available to pre-order now at this location
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