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Jesse Malin – Interview Exclusive

Jesse Malin – Interview Exclusive

New York’s finest troubadour Jesse Malin has been on the road touring his critically acclaimed new album ‘Sunset Kids’ since last summer. We caught up with him on his UK tour last month prior to a sold out show in Leeds to discuss punk rock beginnings, songwriting influences and hanging about in Dublin with Johnny Depp and Bono.

This interview was conducted on March 4th, prior to lockdown. At the time, Jesse had two more tours to the UK pencilled in for 2020. While we hope those will be rescheduled at some time in the future, for now this could be the last tour related interview you read for some time. Enjoy.

 

 

RPM:  Hey there Jesse, welcome back to Leeds. Your new album ‘Sunset Kids’ came out late last year, and it’s your 8th solo album I believe?

Jesse:  I guess around that yeah, if you don’t count the live and the covers record, so yeah something like that.

 

RPM: And you collaborated with Lucinda Williams on this album?

Jesse: Yeah, she produced it along with her husband Tom Overby and we made it in California and New York.  We’ve been friends for a long time and it turned out to be a great experience making a record with her. I had an instinct that she would have a great feel in the studio and she’s great with storytelling and just being a friend. But also, being a fan made me wanna, you know, step up my game. I think the band I have came through and we just had a really great time making the record. It was one of those records where we recorded 20 plus songs and narrowed it down to 14, which is still a lot, but you know I’m real proud of this one

 

RPM:  Yeah, there is just something about this album; it seems to be the right album at the right time. There was a lot of personal tragedies leading up to and during the recording of ‘Sunset Kids’. Can you elaborate?

Jesse: Yeah, it was a heavy time of death and loss. Life is for the living and I don’t wanna be all bummed out, you know, “woe is me”. But yeah, one of the engineers who started the record with us; David Bianco, who did Tom Petty’s ‘Wild Flowers’ and Bob Dylan and Frank Black. But he also did D Generation my first band, so there’s history there, He had a stroke in the middle of the record, and then my Dad passed away right before we finished.  Also, Todd Youth, who played with me in D Generation and St Mark’s Social. Inside the album we dedicate the record to those people we lost.  So it was one of those crazy runs when all this was happening, but despite all that, going through heavy times, the best thing to do is play music and be around people you love. We started the record around Christmas time, we were in the studio in LA, no snow or cold, it was kinda surreal. But me and Lucinda kinda got the holiday blues, so we had the mindset to work through that.

RPM:  I think tragedy and tough times brings out the best in a songwriter, wouldn’t you agree?

JM: Yeah, well we went out to see her (Lucinda) open for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in L.A., which turned out to be his last gig. We didn’t know it was going to be his last gig, nobody did. And we met with her the next night over dinner and said we wanted to do this album and she and her husband seemed to be into it. We started to make plans, but a week later it was the Vegas shooting and the same day Tom Petty died, so everything ground to a halt.

I mean, I didn’t know him, but witnessing that show really impacted on some of the writing on songs like ‘Shining Down’. So we started working on it in December when we could meet in-between her touring schedule and my touring schedule. We would sit around in her kitchen and I would show her lyrics or they would come to me and sit in my apartment. And every time we would go away from each other something else would happen and I’d write a few more songs. Like I went to Shane MacGowan’s 60th birthday to sing, and I came back and wrote a song (‘Shane’) about how weird it was to be the strange guy standing next to Johnny Depp and Bono and Nick Cave, and being in this country pub for like 3 days.

 

RPM: Going back to songwriting, I read you take yourself away to hotel rooms to write in isolation, is that a regular thing?

Jesse: Well, I was living in L.A. for a little bit and I’m not a big L.A. guy. But it was a nice change this time and it felt good, we were staying right near Sunset Boulevard actually. But I like to be in places that are not my usual place to write, not where you might do your usual routine in your apartment. So you kinda have a place that’s a blank canvas, a transient place. You get a lot of those on the road because every night we are somewhere different. We’ve been touring this record a lot. Since August we’ve been on the road non-stop.

RPM:  And the reception has been good on the road?

Jesse: Things have been growing. These aren’t the biggest rooms, but most are sold out. In the States this record seems to connect more. Sometimes I’m bigger in the UK or Europe than America, but this record had a lot of support from some magazines and press, and people seem to know the words more. I notice that in the crowd every night, that’s always a funny thing. You write a song in your little room somewhere and people sing the words in other places. The songs take on another life when you take then in front of a crowd. It’s one thing to say something privately, but then say it in public, you kinda see if it rings true or if you’re full of shit or not.

 

RPM: A lot of our readers will know you from your days fronting D Generation. Do people in the audience still shout for you to play those old songs?

Jesse: In certain areas, yes. Some places they don’t know that band and others there will be guys with dark black hair and leather jackets yelling out for a D Generation song. You know, D Generation is something I am not ashamed of. I’m proud of those records and I loved working with those guys, you know… we were a gang. But I’ve been doing this for so much longer than I did that. I’ve had this band, these cats, for a bunch of years now.

RPM: It seems a lot of punk artists go down the singer/songwriter or Americana route. Do you think there a connection between the two?

Jesse:  I think there is a connection. It’s the same 3 chords, a message, sad lyrics and a lot of fuckin’ attitude. It might just be louder through a Marshall amp with a punk band. But with an acoustic guitar, there is this thing. Its street music, its folk music…Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams… You know, I think they were all pretty punk rock. As well as Neil Young, who I think is a great bridge to that, as well as Joe Strummer, even The Clash had this folky edge to it. But for me personally, I always liked songs that painted pictures, told stories. Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ was always a great influence on me wanting to play solo and Billy Bragg’s records, as well as Elvis Costello. It’s great to hear Frank Turner, Brian Fallon, Chuck Ragan, all these great people who have a great punk spirit but also have a great craft.

 

RPM: Ok Jesse. Now we get to the fun part of the interview we like to call the ‘Rock Star’ questions where we get our subject to challenge themselves and think outside the box.

When people think of Jesse Malin, what do they associate you as being?

Jesse: What do they think I am? Well, that’s hard for me to say. I’m just gonna repeat a lot of bullshit that people say about me. A singer/songwriter, or a Troubadour. A Rabbi Rasta, jack-off, goofball, vegan-nut New Yorker. A positive mental analyst!

RPM: Is that what you get shouted at you then?

Jesse:  Um, yeah! “What’s the name of your band”, “who are you?”, “what does Jesse Malin mean?”, “where you going”?,”what’s the future of the planet?”.

 

RPM: what’s your morning routine?

Jesse:  I wake up, I drink a herbal tea. I jump out of bed like anything could happen. You never know what’s going to happen in life. I do a bunch of push-ups. I keep the gadgets and devices off for a while, put on a little music. Sometimes I write, as coming out of a dream state is a good place to write. I’ll write in notebooks with an old fashioned pen and some real paper. Then I turn on the computer and wait to be slapped by the world.

 

RPM: What was your first guitar and what did you learn to play on it?

Jesse:  It was an acoustic guitar, one of those nylon string $20 jobs. I sat around and tried to learn how to play ‘Jingle Bells’ on it. But then I got aggressive and I took a microphone from a reel to reel player and I taped it on there and I tried to play Kiss songs, Ted Nugent songs and Led Zeppelin songs. I wasn’t so great at it so I started to write my own songs instead, and just play Ramones songs because right away that was instant gratification.

RPM: You knew Joey, right?

Jesse: Yeah, D Generation toured with The Ramones. Me and Joey became friends, he was just a lovely person that just loved rock music.

 

RPM: If you could go back to your 20 year old self, what 3 pieces of advice would you give?

Jesse: To stay on the road longer, to be fearless, more loving and compassionate, and to not give up.

 

RPM: And would you have listened though?

Jesse: To half of it…the other half I would’ve pissed out into the toilet or something!

 

RPM:  When you hear the word successful what comes to mind?

Jesse: Happiness, having enough money to be able to have the freedom to live. To have good love in your life and to be happy with what you do every single day.

 

RPM: Have you ever written a song, only to realise it had already been written?

Jesse: I’ve had melodies that have been familiar to other things or lines here and there, but never full songs. I’ve come close though, I remember somebody in the band, I think it was a wisecrack from the drummer saying “that sounded like that song by Oasis” and I’d be like “No, Oasis took it from there” and I guess…well Martin Scorsese said “good ones copy, great ones steal!”. It’s how you steal it and what you do with it that counts.

 

RPM: Ok, and to wrap up Jesse. If you could have a billboard anywhere in the world where would you have it and what would it say?

Jesse:  Oh man…somewhere in the Middle East I guess. Saying ‘peace and love – stop the fighting. We are all flesh and blood, we all bleed the same… just peace’.

 

Jesse Malin is currently holding a YouTube residency every Saturday evening at 9pm UK time entitled ‘The Fine Art of Self-Distancing’, playing songs and telling stories from his apartment in New York. It’s free to watch but donations to help the band and his crew are more than welcome. Tune in, grab a beer, tell your friends. And join in the new normal for live music experience right now.

 

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Author: Ben Hughes

Buy ‘Sunset Kids’ Here

 

 

Small Town Tigers – ‘Five Things’ (Area Pirata Records)

Small Town Tigers – ‘Five Things’ (Area Pirata Records)

Hailing from the North Italian town of Rimini situated on the Adriatic sea and famous for its golden sands come a trio of punky – glam rockers called the Small Town Tigers I’d doubt they get played much around the Golden sandy beaches of their home town but that Rimini’s loss it would seem. So what do they sound like I hear you cry.

Well, They play straight-up punky Garage Rock and Roll and do it very well, it must be said. They’ve stripped it down to some real instruments of guitar, Bass and Drumsbut they throw in some great melodies and worked hard on just playing Rock and Roll they are the sum of their influences I’d wager just how you’d want them to sound – raw, alive and vibrant with attitude, snot and a shit kickin’ grin (at least I hope that’s how they go about their craft).

A lot of how they sound might be down to being fresh at the business or from naivety but they use those as qualities to fire up the tunes and certainly not criticisms.  Take ‘Girl’ and its simple guitar lick. Not to dissimilar to licks Poison Ivy made a living from and when that one finishes it crashes into the wonderful ‘Find Myself Another Name’ that is a rush of attitude that’s held together with some spit and dirt from the rumble on the bass that’s barely holding the drums to check and then the buzz saw guitar riff is churning behind the vocals that remind me of a hungry Joan Jett for sure and if that’s not enough to persuade you to go check em out I’d check for a pulse.

Imagine had The Runaways been listening to The Stooges rather than the radio and then ran through a couple of Ramones covers that’s where ‘Runaway Girl’ is hanging her hat. On offer here are eight tunes and primarily the lo-fi production is spot on for the genre and none more so than ‘Darling Please!’ with the sleazy backbeat and hypnotic riff that sounds like it’s bouncing off a concrete bunker wall but it only help to create the perfect tone for the song. The ladies keep things short and sweet and understand that the kid’s attention spans aren’t what they used to be and maybe as we get a little older we don’t have time to hang about but I’d make time to hang about if this were the soundtrack.  ‘I Want It Now’ is a glam slammin’ romper, sure its a foot on the wedge handclapping retro rocker and the chorus is easy – even for the most challenged listener but hold on don’t go anywhere ‘The Bitch’ takes a turn down a dark alley with a filthy sloppy riff that’s a switchblade away from falling apart as the guitar overheats due to the riff being so dirty.  what’s not to like? Its short and oh so sweet and as they sign off with the bruising thump of the title track it dawns on me shouldn’t it be called ‘Eight Things’? Anyway, ‘Five Things’ is suitably trashy in its delivery and I have a lot of time for that.  If you like Garage Rock and Roll or The Runaways meets the Stooges using The Cramps gear then what are you waiting for? but remember they don’t just steal from the bands I’ve referred to they’ve learned from them and given something back in return. This is a must-hear for you if you want zero fucks given, good time, Garage Rock and Roll –  get on it NOW! and as they say in the blurb – Turn It Up!

Buy ‘Five Things’ Here

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Author: Dom Daley

 

Mean Motor Scooter – ‘Mr Sophistication’ EP (Dreamy Life Records)

Mean Motor Scooter – ‘Mr Sophistication’ EP (Dreamy Life Records)

While this is a new band to me, Mean Motor Scooter previously released the ‘Hindu Flying Machine’ album, plus other EPs, but they seem to be finding their niche here. The reviews name check the B52s and Dead Kennedys, of which more later. These five tracks seem quite at home in the current, warm spell, isolation notwithstanding. It’s kind of beach music, kind of dance music, but, whatever you want to call it, it’s catchy.

 

‘Aristobrat’ pairs a sunny, upbeat tune to the lyrics “I play my best when I feel depressed”. It’s practically jaunty, in a “damn you pesky kids” kind of way. ‘The Void’ comes on like a rival gang to King Salami And The Cumberland Three, staccato riff and dance beat, but with added organ swirls. Any time is a good time to dance, but especially these days.

 

‘Portals’ is a side-step into a freakier world. Starting off like Syd Barrett’s poppier moments, before crashing into louder psyche-pop. ‘Zombie Cop’ is where the B52s comparisons are warranted, which is no bad thing. The organ and backing vocals compliment the riff, and the frenetic voice of main Scooter Sammy Kidd is nodding in the direction of Biafra. This continues on the final song, ‘Put Me Down Like A Dog’, a wall of surf-fuzz wipeout music, berating all the things he can’t do. Well, we can currently all relate, unexpectedly, to that. But, this is certainly good-time music. Mean Motor Scooter aren’t taking themselves hugely seriously, but are committed to the tunes. Get groovy.

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Author: Martin Chamorette

Wyldlife – ‘Year Of The Snake’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Wyldlife – ‘Year Of The Snake’ (Wicked Cool Records)

‘The Time Has Come To Rock & Roll’, so proclaimed New York punk ‘n’ rollers Wyldlife back in 2013. Now in 2020, they find themselves still rock ‘n’ rolling with their fourth long player. Following hot on the tails of 2016’s ‘Out On Your Block’, ‘Year Of The Snake’ is the band’s second album on the ever cool Wicked Cool Records label. Owned by the legend that is Steven Van Zandt, Wicked Cool Records  has brought us quality albums from the likes of Ryan Hamilton, Jesse Malin and Kurt Baker over the past few years.

 

Recorded at Little Steven’s very own Renegade Studios in NYC, the album title is taken from the Chinese year of the snake; 1989, the year that band mates Dave Feldman (vocals), Sam Allen (guitar), and Spencer Alexander (drums)were born. ‘Year Of The Snake’ is everything you want from a Wyldlife record and more. The spirit of NY punk flows through these boys veins. From the early years, when Ramones and The Dolls were treading the boards of CBGB’S, to the late 90’s when D Generation ruled the underground, they have it all. But its more than just cool shoes and leather jackets, you have to have the rock ‘n’ roll minerals to stand out from the crowd, and Wyldlife prove they have it in spades.

Opener ‘Deathbed’ comes on with the anthemic bravado usually reserved for the likes of Green Day in their prime. Featuring a melody you will swear down you’ve heard before. It grabs you from the off, a musical crockpot of low slung riffage and high energy melodies guaranteed to give goosebumps and raise hopes in equal measures.

Quick as a flash, before you have even had time to pick your jaw up off the floor it’s over, and we’re into first single ‘Neon Nightmare’. This… this is the rock ‘n’ roll sound I need in my life right now. High energy, upbeat and catchy as fuck. Also, it’s the perfect escape from the nightmare that is reality right now.

Two tracks in and its pretty safe to say vocalist Dave Feldman and guitarist Sam Allen have my full attention with their songwriting antics. You could say their themes of paranoia, anxiety and bad relationships are par for the course in 2020, well now Wyldlife add the soundtrack. With the spirit of Hanoi Rocks and the power pop suss of The Replacements, Wyldlife run though 11 tracks of highly essential rock ‘n’ roll.

 

Highlights are plentiful. ‘Kiss and Tell’ rides on tribal beats and Ramones chords as it builds to yet another catchy chorus that’ll surely incite air guitar and hairbrush vocal action in bedrooms and living rooms the world over. The radio friendly ‘Automatic’ is the albums curve ball, a song that hits right in the feels. Inspired by The Jesus and Mary Chain, it’s a song written by the frontman about a girl he knows who works in a florist shop. With lush, indie pop melodies, female backing vocals and lyrics full of sentiment, its pure power pop goodness coming on like Squeeze meets Fountains Of Wayne and that’s a good place to be.

The fast and furious ‘Sacre Bleu’ is as punk as fuck. Spiky, high energy bursts of noise, think Hives meets Randy and you’ll get close. Sam’s chord bashing matches the frantic drums as Dave spits vocals with the venomous antics of a snake. This and the aforementioned ‘Automatic’ couldn’t be further apart in sound but they are fired from the same Wyldlife gun and both definitely hit the spot.

An overly familiar riff takes the title track into orbit as it builds to a relentless, killer refrain that pummels the senses. Gang vocals and guitars are the order of the day as the likes of ‘Tulsa Superstar’ and ‘Keeping Up With CT’ marry the power pop goodness of The Replacements and The Exploding Hearts with urgent beats, swathes of Hammond and Johnny Thunders licks, very nice indeed.

 

As I write these words New York is the hardest hit city in the world as far as the Coronavirus goes. No one could’ve predicted this turn of events and no one knows what the future holds for live music or our favourite bands. All we can do is be grateful that albums this good are still coming our way and do our best to help by buying albums, merch to help support the bands we love and the music they create.

2020 will be remembered as the year of the virus, but I also hope it will be remembered by the cool cats as the year Wyldlife gave us ‘The Year Of The Snake’. Essential listening, buy or die punks!

Buy ‘Year Of The Snake’ Here

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Author: Ben Hughes

BILLY TALENT RELEASE THIRD EPISODE FROM ‘FORGIVENESS’ SERIES 

BILLY TALENT RELEASE THIRD EPISODE FROM ‘FORGIVENESS’ SERIES 

Canadian rock legends Billy Talent will release FORGIVENESS CHAPTER III, the latest episode of their ground-breaking, multi-part short film FORGIVENESS.

Shot by award-winning Canadian director Michael Maxxis, the film stars UFC fighters Rose Namajunas and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. This marks the third episode of the series and features music from the band’s multi-week #1 hit single “Reckless Paradise.”

Additionally, lead singer Ben Kowalewicz and drummer Jordan Hastings will be online to chat with fans during the YouTube premiere for FORGIVENESS CHAPTER III.

Fans can watch Chapter I here and Chapter II here before viewing the Chapter III here.  

Besides this new chapter in this FORGIVENESS series, Billy Talent released a poignant new song called “I Beg to Differ (This Will Get Better).” The lyric video features phone numbers for crisis hotlines around the world. Exclaim! noted that “tune’s message of hoping for a better tomorrow fits right in with today’s fraught, coronavirus-fearing climate, the song further Billy Talent’s longtime lyrical themes of persevering in the face of adversity.”

BILLY TALENT ONLINE: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Wendy James reveals new track

Wendy James reveals new track

WENDY JAMES

REVEALS NEW TRACK ‘LITTLE MELVIN’

TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM ‘QUEEN HIGH STRAIGHT’

OUT 1ST MAY

 LISTEN HERE

WENDY JAMES showcases her love of Motown on new track ‘Little Melvin’, taken from her forthcoming 5th solo album QUEEN HIGH STRAIGHT, which is released on 1st May 2020.

An English singer-songwriter born in London, Wendy exploded onto the British music scene in 1988 as the fearless front woman of chart-topping alt-rockers Transvision Vamp. When the band disbanded Wendy went on to collaborate with Elvis Costello, James Williamson (Iggy & the Stooges), Lenny Kaye (The Patti Smith Group) and James Sclavunos (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds), who joins her on drums and percussions for QUEEN HIGH STRAIGHT. Also joining her on this album are James Sedwards (lead guitar), Harry Bohay (bass), Alex J. Ward & Terry Edwards (horn section) and Louis Vause (accordion).

Wendy began writing QUEEN HIGH STRAIGHT after a long stretch of writing/recording/delivering/touring her previous album ‘The Price Of The Ticket’, which charted in the UK at No.14. Wendy says of the title track, “I gravitated toward some jazzy type of chords which lent a gentle lilt to the song, it sounded smooth and it reminded me of when I was a young child listening to Sergio Mendes ‘Brazil ’66’! Some of those lovely chord progressions, some of that lovely harmonizing the singers did and of course Bacharach and David.”

“Overall, my taste and style have not changed with time,” Wendy says. “The music that excites me now, ultimately, is the same as when I was starting out songwriting and back through my days in Transvision Vamp. I continue to marvel at Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, I continue to be blown away by The Stooges, I continue to be everlastingly enthralled by Bob Dylan, but of course, the older one gets the more one discovers and I am now informed more cohesively and fully by all the music, new and old, which settles into my consciousness.

“My track listings are never altered from the order in which I write the songs, maybe it’s because it’s too tangential for me to try to shuffle songs around but really I think, in some kind of holistic way, the order in which the songs are written must surely be the very most natural order for them to be listed in. Around about song 14 ‘Bliss Hotel’ I hit a wall. I did not know where the inspiration was going to come from! But then somehow, miraculously, it comes again and one pushes on through, as it turned out, to some of my favourite songs on the entire album. My perfect moment? song 18 ‘Cancel It… I’ll See Him On Monday’; it was a ‘Eureka’ moment. I ran out into the garden and started dancing, “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!!!””

Elsewhere on the album, Wendy embraces Motown with ‘Here Comes The Beautiful One’ and ‘Little Melvin’, she returns, once again, to her favourite guitar guttural filth and sex for ‘Perilous Beauty’ and an unlikely sounding love

song in ‘Chicken Street’, 90’s pop groove in ‘Ratfucking’, melancholia in ‘Testimonial’, Django Reinhardt whimsy in ‘I’ll Be Here When The Morning Comes’. On ‘The Impression Of Normalcy’, Wendy says, “Thanks to James Sclavunos, who told me to “speed the fucking song up”, I have a proper speed punk song.” Finally, track 20 ‘Kill Some Time Blues’ is the ultimate 60’s girl group number.

Wendy recently toured the UK with her permanent band THE WENDY JAMES BAND opening for The Psychedelic Furs, which was a huge success. She has just rescheduled what should have been a May tour, saying, “By doing simple math, it was easy for me to see that when I’d be due to begin rehearsals in April in LDN, it was just not going to happen, nor an all-clear of COVID19 by 5th May when my tour was scheduled to begin. So making a calculation as best as possible, I’ve postponed all the dates until September 2020. All the ticket links are still valid and working! All the VIP are still valid and welcome!” On the upside she said, “QUEEN HIGH STRAIGHT will have been with you all through the summer months and I expect you to all be able to sing every lyric along with me in September! A successful record could make these gigs very electric!” Details of her rescheduled 19-date tour are below…

Wendy currently divides her time between New York City, Paris, South France and London.

 

TOUR DATES:

3RD SEPT – BRISTOL FLEECE

4TH SEPT – SWANSEA CINEMA & CO

5TH SEPT – CARDIFF CLWB IFOR BACH

8TH SEPT – BRIGHTON CONCORDE 2

9TH SEPT – CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION

10TH SEPT – BIRMINGHAM INSTITUTE 3

11TH SEPT – STOKE SUGARMILL

12TH SEPT – PORTSMOUTH WEDGEWOOD ROOMS 15TH SEPT – NOTTINGHAM BODEGA

16TH SEPT – MANCHESTER DEAF INSTITUTE

17TH SEPT – LEEDS BRUDENELL

18TH SEPT – BLACKPOOL WATERLOO MUSIC BAR 19TH SEPT – NEWCASTLE CLUNY

21ST SEPT – GUILDFORD BOILEROOM

22ND SEPT – TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM

23RD SEPT – LONDON ISLINGTON 02

26TH SEPT – GLASGOW KING TUTS

27TH SEPT – EDINBURGH BANNERMANS

29TH SEPT – NORWICH ARTS CENTRE

 

Tickets available Here

The Psychedelic Furs – ‘Made Of Rain’ (Cooking Vinyl)

The Psychedelic Furs – ‘Made Of Rain’ (Cooking Vinyl)
Their first album in almost 30 years, since releasing 1991’s World Outside and splitting up soon after. Reuniting early on in the Millenium, existing as a touring entity only, I was genuinely surprised to hear that the band had signed an album deal as I always assumed there was no appetite to record new material. With the bands last commercial peak being 1987s Midnight to Midnight they were seemingly destined to remain a nostalgia act spending a majority of their time on the road in the U.S.
 
A strong opener in “The Boy Who Invented Rock & Roll”, a great layer of brooding synth showing growth in their song output and even having a bit of a Dark Wave element. “Don’t Believe” is the established first single released back in January. It really sits in the foundations of classic non-pop Furs, which makes recent single “You’ll Be Mine” even more of a disappointment. It’s a limp number at best.
“Wrong Train” kicks off like a New Order football jingle though quickly detours into a bitter-sweet, epic confessional. Speaking of pills, car crashes and turmoil amid filthy guitar and sax duels. An absolute stand out track. The only low here being when it finally ends, though “This’ll Never Be Like Love” drags you into a somewhat beautiful pit of despair. The track really does hark back to the sound of their last two (criminally overlooked) albums.
“Ash Wednesday” has the same level of brood, but at over 5 minutes it never really goes anywhere and it’s a bit much to take. It’s the same case for “Come All Ye Faithful”, trying to be direct and edgy but coming across very much like filler material. “No-One” thankfully grabs us by the scruff of the neck and puts us back on course, giving us Richards Butler’s dark cacophony of lamenting croons.
“Tiny Hands” is very American rock radio commerciality straight out of the gates. It’s not terribly unpleasant, just very questionable production. The production here is provided by former member Richard Fortus (G’N’R fame). Not slighting Fortus’s role here, though I am disappointed the band didn’t go with someone who potentially could of put them to work. Someone with a similar background such as Flood or Alan Moulder?
“Hide The Medicine”, a very dreamy number that builds and builds but ends very abruptly almost as if it had never even begun? “Turn Your Back On Me” has really grown on me after several listens, revealing itself as a subtle but epic number. Album finisher “Stars” rolls in. Another dreamy composition, building in parts, taking us to a collage of sounds, distorted guitars and synths melding together only to disappear bluntly. A surprising track to place at the end, not really giving much as a send off.
Overall the album is a bit of a mixed bag. Not a classic but certainly not disappointing. My lingering thoughts only that I hope they try their hand at another release sooner rather than later. Definitely seek out this new album but be prepared to take the rough with the smooth.
Buy ‘Made Of Rain’ Here
Author: Dan Kasm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ncz9b2dIHkU&feature=emb_logo

Various Artists – ‘You Wanna Know What It’s Like?’ (Desert Inn Records)

Various Artists – ‘You Wanna Know What It’s Like?’ (Desert Inn Records)

 

Albert wrote the following. but I’d like to say ignore his last sentence if you can, please do make a donation no matter how small, every penny counts as they say but obviously if you don’t have the spare dosh then do take up his free offer.

In these trying times some people need more help than others and if you can help please do you know it makes sense.  Besides look what you get in return, Twenty Four fantastic covers  Get on it cool kids and spread the word.

“Long story cut short.
About 20 years ago, I started working on a tribute album to the Hollywood Brats and The Boys. If you’re reading this, you already know what these two legendary bands had in common…Casino Steel! And a few amazing songs. And bad luck. They never achieved the success they deserved, but found a place in the heart of any true lover of rock’n’roll music.
I contacted some of my favourite bands around the world, who I knew were huge fans of the Brats & the Boys, and they recorded some amazing versions of those classic songs. The tribute album never came out at the time (sorry guys!) and remained shelved for almost 20 years.
Fast forward to 2020…the world is in lockdown because of the Corona virus disease. About time to release this goddamn tribute and let people have a good time listening to some great music while in isolation!
All the 24 songs were recorded specifically for this project. You might have heard some of them over the years, as a few bands used them as b-sides or included them in other releases. But most of them have remained unreleased until now. So here it is. Better late than never, I guess. The good news is that it’s absolutely FREE. Bandcamp allows 200 free downloads each month, so first come first served.
You also have the option to pay whatever you want”

Right, let’s dig into this bad boy.  First up is the magnificent talent of Jeff Dahl and a rocket-fuelled ‘Chez Maximes’.  It’s snotty and sets the tone as it blasts off first out the traps, follow that everyone. Blimey, Some bands I’ve obviously heard of and some that are new to me as well as some I’d forgotten about.  ‘USI’ complete with Cass like piano plonk courtesy of The Turpentines is a band that clearly got the remit and duly obliged in sending in their dirty punky pop n roll.

Oh man, Beat Angels taking on ‘Terminal Love’ is worth a few quid of anyones money.  I loved Beat Angels they like the Boys should have been huge and they clearly get what this cracking Honest John number is all about. I wasn’t going to mention every band but as the songs unfold I’m feeling guilty for not mentioning this one or that one and Sour Jazz knock out a beautiful ‘Zurich 17’ the vocals work really well and the sleazy guitars walking all over the song is blissful.  Of course Gyp Casino & the Honest Brats were going to totally get ‘TCP’ that was a given wasn’t it? The Alley Gators show Backyard Babies how the sleazy Rock n Roll should be done with their rip snorting take on ‘I Don’t Care’.

 

They might not be household names taking on the tunes but boy do they get it whatever it is you know that X Factor that these songs possess from the insane melody of ‘Soda Pressing’ that Hundred Million Martians clearly believed in followed by those Streetwalkin Cheetahs and their ‘Kamikaze’.  Thee STP goes full trash on ‘Tumble With Me’.  It’s fair to say that nobody tries to be clever and totally recreate one of these classic songs with a nu metal or rap version and some are better than others but the one thing that does shine through is how bloody good the songs are.  ‘First Time’ is a perfect slice of chart worthy Rock and Roll and hearing The Bullys romp through ‘No Money’ is a blast.

Highschool Hellcats take ‘Classified Susie’ back to school and rock the fuck out.  Bastet turn their amps up for a belter of ‘Brickfield Nights’ is it possible to have too much cowbell?  Nah didn’t think so either. I have to admit that Aerobitch turn in the sleaziest cover of the lot with their full throttle ‘Neighbourhood Brat’ and its great to hear Freddy Lynx with a beautiful rendition of ‘Heroine’

I’m glad to see that there aren’t multiple takes of ‘Brickfield’ or ‘Terminal Love’ and bands were brave enough to take on classics like ‘Living In The City’ and its fitting and the perfect sign off for Trash Brats to nail ‘Sick On You’ which is where it signs off.  What a blast, one of the best compilations I’ve had the pleasure of and being a massive Boys fan its a big deal to hear so many bands paying tribute to one of the best bands out there.  Now all that’s left to say is please give generously (if you can) and enjoy the songs Stay safe kids and turn up that Rock and Roll oh and how about pressing this up on a couple of sweet albums? I’d get one

ALL THE PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO THE ITALIAN RED CROSS. https://www.cri.it/home

Buy the album Here

Author: Dom Daley

American Jetset stream new album

American Jetset stream new album

US Rock n Roll Band, AMERICAN JETSET, have released their first full lenght album ‘Saloon Rock Whiskey Pop‘ back in February 2020. The album can be streamed here.

The album is produced and mixed by Scott Spelbring (KIX). Mastered by Ian Kaine MacGregor.

After decades of candy-coated pop, vanilla indie, and corporate rap, a new generation of Rock & Roll has emerged. The hysteria spurred by Greta van fleet, Rival Sons, and The Struts has reached a fever pitch and rock fans are dying for more.

Enter AMERICAN JETSET. Channeling the heroes of the 1980s Sunset Strip era, the Jetset boys are direct descendants of those sleeping giants, and their anthemic hooks and animated live show have been turning heads from Charm City to Hollywood.

 

The acoustic sing-along is one of the album’s finest compositions. It features the gorgeous, glowing background vocals of Christina Oliviero before the band rides off into the sunset, vowing to return someday. Mission accomplished. – Sleaze Roxx

American Jetset crashed into my world over a year ago because of their great songs, and this release shows that they were not a one-trick pony. Pick up this album and prepare to sing your butt off while these songs remind you of how good music can make you feel. – RPM Online

AMERICAN JETSET is:

Ian Kaine MacGregor – Vocals, Guitars
Lance Reeder – Lead Guitar
Kevin Harrington – Bass
Jeff Bradford – Drums

With an impressive EP, the band continued their rise in 2019. They went to California and back supporting Tom Keifer of Cinderella, Jack Russell’s Great White, Faster Pussycat, Living Colour, LA Guns, and a sold-out hometown performance with Slaughter. Will Greenberg of Will to Rock Magazine wrote “Every now and then a new band pops up on your radar that has that extra something AMERICAN JETSET have those intangibles. If they keep making the same kick-ass music that they’ve included on their debut, the sky is the limit.”

AMERICAN JETSET is back in the saddle in 2020 with their sophomore release Saloon Rock Whiskey Pop, and the record is a killer collection of no frills rock & roll the way it’s meant to be played. From the swagger of “Walking Contradiction” to the country-tinged “Getaway Car” to the unbridled stomp of “1000 Ghosts”, AMERICAN JETSET never pulls back on the reins. Jeff Onorato of Sleaze Roxx Magazine said “I was blown away by what I heard. The Sunset Strip era of hard rock is one of my favorites and they had resurrected that sound in a way that I hadn’t heard in quite some time.”

AMERICAN JETSET’s 2020 tour will take them coast-to-coast supporting Jack Russell’s Great White, Enuff Z’Nuff, Kix, Charm City Devils, Blackfoot, and Pretty Boy Floyd. Get ready, Monsters…you tell ’em they’re coming and Hell’s coming with ‘em!

www.americanjetset.com
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JIZZY PEARL’S LOVE/HATE sign to GOLDEN ROBOT RECORDS

JIZZY PEARL’S LOVE/HATE sign to GOLDEN ROBOT RECORDS

JIZZY PEARL has been a fixture on the world-famous Hollywood Sunset Strip since his edgy street rock band LOVE/HATE released their debut album Blackout In The Red Room in 1990. Blackout In The Red Room received Best Record of the Year honours from Kerrang! and Metal Hammer in addition to being a fan and critics favourite.

It established LOVE/HATE as genuine Hollywood rock superstars, and they developed a strong cult following. Their second record Wasted In America followed in 1992, and the band hit the road with the likes of SKID ROW, DIO, AC/DC and OZZY OSBOURNE!

Since then Jizzy has played, recorded and toured with platinum artists like RATT and L.A. GUNS, including a stint with Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler in ADLER’S APPETITE, whilst currently fronting the legendary Quiet Riot. Jizzy has also released several critically acclaimed solo albums, the most recent being 2018’s ‘All You Need Is Soul’ on Frontiers Records. 

The legacy continues in 2020 with JIZZY PEARL’S LOVE/HATE who this year have been touring the 30th anniversary of BLACKOUT IN THE RED ROOM playing the iconic album in full.

Jizzy and his band are sounding better than ever and Golden Robot Records (part of the Golden Robot Global Entertainment Group) are extremely honoured to be the new home of a Hollywood Rock icon like Jizzy Pearl. Jizzy’s global fanbase can look forward to some scintillating new music in 2020.

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