Admin

Total Post: 3880

A turbocharged Rock and Roll website.

Episode 38 – ‘Its A Revolution’ Podcast

Episode 38 – ‘Its A Revolution’ Podcast

As we plough through British summer by dodging rainfall and wearing gloves because of the cold why not try and give this Podcast a go it’ll warm the cockles of your cold black heart. this week is Episode 38 and Joining me once again is the angry young man Chris as we dive straight in with a Banger from Nottinghams The Hip Priests whose final shows are edging ever into focus. They’ve been one of the bedrock of our website over the years consistently churning out top-quality garage punk rock and on their own terms so it seems only fair we kick off Episode 38 with ‘Shakin Aint Fakin’ off the excellent ‘Roden House Blues’ album. Snap up tickets for those shows because you’ll miss em when they’ve gone.

We follow that up with the new single from The Peawees ‘Banana Tree’ which is coming out real soon on Folc Records with support from the excellent label Spaghetty Town Records in North America and Wild Honey in Europe. First time on the show for these Italian Garage rockers.

I recently purchased the To Hell With Tomorrow The Lords Are Now!’ album from the ever-consistent Lords Of Altamont so it seems only fair that ‘Going Downtown’ gets a play.

We then Champion South Wales’ finest noise makers Deathtraps with a blast of ‘You’re The One I’m Talking About’ off the recent EP ‘The Golden Age Of Road Rage’ which is the first of several EPs they plan to release in 2024 so expect loads of coverage this year as the band gets better and better now they’re a four-piece.

If you’re still with us then turn the speakers up for a hattrick of cover versions beginning with the most excellent rendition of W.A.S.Ps ‘Love Machine’ courtesy of Märvel and if you have five minutes after you finish listening to this podcast you can go check out the video for this track which is excellent.

Marc Almond teamed up with Neil X and birthed their Garage Rock band The Loveless which pays homage to some of their favourite songs from the genre as well as penning a few of their own. The album is available through Cadiz Records and is a killer record so it seems only fair that Iggy & James Williamson ‘Kill City’ gets a play.

Last week we played one of the two brand new Jeff Dahl tracks and promised to air the cover he recorded of The Who classic ‘Can’t Explain’. Fans of JEff will be all over this single and rest assured it’ll become one of those hard-to-find records in no time. I’m sure you’ll agree JEff does a great job handling what can only be described as a classic Townsend track and roughing it up Jeff Dahl style has only made this record sound better.

“The Lipstick Killers were easily one of the greatest live bands I’ve witnessed in my 65 yrs. on this planet” – so said OFF! frontman Keith Morris and who would disagree with his assessment? Not Me so we give the band a shout out and play ‘Rot In Love’ off their ‘Strange Flash’ compilation album. This is another Australian Garage band that should be part of your collection if it isn’t already.

Dangereens crept back into the scene with a brand new album that we managed to get our mitts on this past week. Released on Alian Snatch Records these sunshine Rock n Rollers drop ‘Fast Track’ off the new album ‘Chic’. Get those stack heels on and hit the dancefloor kids it’s party time.

We always love playing bands who release music on Drunken Sailor Records so why wouldn’t we give the Lo-Fi noise makers Insane Urge a slot from their album ‘Two Tapes’ which is 15 songs in 18 minutes just the way we like it – head over to drunken Sailor and get some wax. This Texan bunch are the latest in a long line of fantastic records put out on the label. Punk rock is alive and well and being served up by Drunken Sailor.

Bath Punks the Setbacks recently released their brand new album and ‘Paint The Town Red’ which I reviewed recently so it was only fair we play the title track that got co-host Chris excited and got the Setbacks a new fan. there must be something in the water in the southwest because Split Dogs hail from not too far away and their new stuff is really impressive.

Frontkick released an EP on the very impressive and consistently good Wanda Records so it was something of a no brainer that we’d give this new one a spin. My pick of the songs on the records is ‘Vultures’ “Swallow the Dagger!” is released 16 years after their last record (“The new Beginning” 7″) on WANDA, FRONTKICK are back: the style has remained the same, the playing got a little smoother.

As we head to the finale Chris picked a classic Dinosaur Jr track ‘Freak Scene’ and this version is lifted from the Hand it Over double showing how noise Rock super champs do it live. Simply awesome.

One of the bands we’ve championed the most has to be The Dwarves and they have a brand new companion long player out entitled ‘Keep It Reel’ so blasting ‘Parasite’ is a no-brainer for us. Continuing their awesome streak of releases with its insane catchy melody and tongue-in-cheek lyrics it showcases exactly why Blag and the Boys are still one of the finest punk rock bands out there.

TV Smith has a new album available on Easy Action Records consistently good TV is showing no sign of slowing down as he heads off out the door for some European live shows as well as hitting the Winter Garden stage for this year’s Rebellion Festival.

Finally, we get to the last track this week as we hit up our favourite Jersey boys Crazy And The Brains who Just put out an EP ‘Past Futurism’ and playing us out is the reopening cut ‘Warm Sake’. Always turning out great music C&TB made a welcome return to the podcast and signed out of this episode as we began with quality running through the show. Hope you enjoy our picks and follow us to keep in touch with us and notify you when a new episode is aired. Until next time be good.

MAKE MY DAY: THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STORY OF FAST EDDIE CLARKE

MAKE MY DAY: THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STORY OF FAST EDDIE CLARKE

MAKE MY DAY: THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STORY OF FAST EDDIE CLARKE

FOUR-CD CAREER RETROSPECTIVE AND 320 PAGE BOOK OF THE ICONIC MOTORHEAD GUITARIST BY KRIS NEEDS TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 6th VIA BMG

PRE-ORDER HERE AND LISTEN TO THE SOLO TRACK ‘OVER AND OUT’

Coming in a robust box, Make My Day: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Story Of Fast Eddie Clarke celebrates the late Motorhead-Fastway guitarist with a four-CD career retrospective and 320-page book written by veteran rock journalist Kris Needs with Clarke’s widow Mariko Fujiwara.

The book that named the set, Make My Day: The Rock ‘N’ Roll Story Of Fast Eddie Clarke charts the guitarist’s life and career including his epiphany seeing the Yardbirds at Eel Pie Island, playing with assorted bands, recording two albums with former Jimi Hendrix associate Curtis Knight, riding with Motorhead’s most revered lineup between 1976 and 1982, forming Fastway and releasing two solo albums. Mariko and Eddie’s closest friends provide detailed insights into Eddie’s life, including growing up in Twickenham, topping charts with Motorhead, overcoming personal problems, finding happiness with Mariko and becoming the smitten co-owner of Cookie the Maltese-Shihtzu cross.

As editor of the UK’s first serious music monthly Zigzag and one of Motorhead’s earliest press champions, Kris Needs spent five years close to the band during its most successful period and beyond. To this end, Needs also interviewed close friends, bandmates, associated bands including Girlschool and Saxon plus collaborators from different stages of Eddie’s roller coaster life and career, emerging with a definitive account that ends up a love story.

The CD boxset covers Fast Eddie’s recording career of over 40 years including tracks requested by Mariko, starting with The Early Years, which includes Zeus and his subsequent band Continuous Performance, along with three tracks from the legendary Muggers, who Eddie and Philthy ‘Animal’ Taylor played with in 1978 along with ‘Speedy’ Keen and Heartbreakers bassist Billy Rath.

CD2’s Motorhead highlights Eddie’s most outstanding performances with the ‘classic lineup’ of Lemmy, Philthy ‘Animal’ Taylor, including ‘Ace Of Spades’ and other much-loved rampages, three previously unreleased Bomber album demos and his vocal performances on the Headgirl project with Girlschool and ‘Stone Dead Forever’.

CD3’s Fastway straddles different incarnations of the band Fast Eddie formed with UFO bassist Pete Way after departing from Motorhead in 1982, including demos, remixes and tracks from their eight albums. Along with curios.

CD4, The Solo Years mainly draws from Fast Eddie’s two solo albums, It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over and his final work with underrated peak Make My Day: Back To The Blues, created with Shakatak’s Bill Sharpe.

Pre-order the set HERE:

David Bowie – ‘Self Titled’ (Deram)

David Bowie – ‘Self Titled’ (Deram)

Bowie’s debut album gets a vibrant revival on Deram with a reissue on both CD and coloured vinyl, boasting exclusive tracklists and keeping with the reissued Bowie records as of late this comes with a wonderful tri gatefold CD and equally nice gatefold LP. This version is Presented with the single B-sides for the very first time on vinyl, including a rare version of ‘Space Oddity’. 

Originally released on 1st June 1966 Bowie was an artist bursting with ideas that would later prove to be the work of something of a genius, very much the epicentre of uber cool and Swinging London. sure Critics of the time commented; with the NME praising Bowie’s fresh sound as “all very refreshing” and hailing him as “a very promising talent.” Melody Maker lauds the album as “a singularly rewarding collection” with “excellent” production while expressing surprise that Bowie hadn’t yet made a bigger impact on the pop scene. Meanwhile, Disc & Music Echo raves about the album, describing it as “a remarkable, creative debut album by a 19-year-old Londoner” and declaring Bowie as “a new talent that deserves attention.”

This re-issue features the original stereo album, produced by Mike Vernon, with a further fourteen tracks, including the first fruits of Bowie’s long relationship with producer Tony Visconti; ‘Let Me Sleep Beside You’, ‘Karma Man’ ‘In The Heat Of The Morning’ and ‘London Bye Ta-Ta’, the last making its vinyl debut in this collection.

Looking back on his debut album many years later with characteristic self-deprecation, Bowie mused: “Lyrically I guess it was striving to be something – the short story teller. Musically it’s quite bizarre. I don’t know where I was at. It seemed to have its roots all over the place, in rock and vaudeville and music hall and I don’t know what. I didn’t know if I was Max Miller or Elvis Presley.”

These early recordings reveal an earnest young artist at the dawn of his career, working hard on material in which he passionately believed. David Bowie poured his young heart into this music – and it shows. Looking back it often sounds foppish like the opening track and Bowies own comments about Max Miller or Elvis showed the sound wasn’t lost on him either and he never lost sight of who he was and never took himself too seriously (ok Glass Spider apart) It’s great to have this album in pristine condition and its integral part in Bowies story that an essential part of how he evolved and where he came from. My collection is now complete and so should yours. This might not be as accomplished as his recent record store day release but the Bowie archive has to be almost drained. Buy it if only for ‘Space Oddity’ that closes off this window in time. Awesome.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

IT’s A Revolution Podcast Episode 36

IT’s A Revolution Podcast Episode 36

Come and join us as we walk you gently through our minds from the past week and the tunes that we thought you needed to hear from all corners of the Globe. From the UK we kick off with the Bar Stool Preachers and a track off their new EP ‘Under The Static’ where they’ve reimagined tracks off their last long player ‘Above The Static’ You can pre order the EP Here

Next up we play the brand new single from The Virginmarys who have a new album up for preorders (At The Link). Ally & Danny are properly coming out swinging with this one folks and once you give it a spin click the link here and get involved. Great stuff from the band who continue to make great music on their own terms and the proof is always in the pudding as they say.

If you’ve been paying close attention to the website we reviewed a band and interviewed the frontman a while back they are Black Adidas and this is their new single. ‘Are We There Yet’ is another class track from a band that seems to be getting better with each release, proving that. With a little bit of The Clash and a fair sprinkling of Rancid thrown into the mix, this is loud and proud stuff and we love it.

Next up is a cover (who doesn’t love a well-executed cover?) we bring you a track off the 2002 Better Youth Organization Split it was Six Rancid covering NOFX and vice versa and this week we have Chris’s favourite Rancid song covered by Fat Mike and the boys and doing a very decent job of it too it must be said leaving enough Rancid on the bone whilst almost owning the track with NOFX style. Enjoy!

UK punks Bad Nerve have been featured a few times on the Podcast for one reason only: they write great punk rock songs. Their new album has only just been released and they have a UK tour in place for later in the year and this week we feature the closing track off their latest album ‘The Kids Will Never Have Their Say’ is the closing song off ‘Still Nervous’ and its one of this year’s best albums no question about it and this won’t be the last track we play this year I’m sure of that.

We delve back a couple of years for a song from The Cutthroat Brothers and a cut off their last album ‘Devil In Berlin’ and we feature ‘Bad Candy Girl’ the record was released by Hound Gawd! Records and also features Mike Watt who has played with The Stooges and shouldn’t really need an explanation of his quality but it is a great collaboration and the second of today’s bands to be a duo Donald Hales, and Jason Harsin certainly knows how to rock out in style if you aren’t familiar with their work then this is a fine time to jump on board.

The Courettes are another pair of Rock n Rollers who are on fire at the minute and seem to be forever on tour. This is their latest single ‘California’ Flavia and Martin are a formidable force who take on board the style and sound of a bygone era and drag it right front and centre of the 21st century. Available from the most excellent Damaged Goods Records this is such a happy summer tune get on it.

Now it is time to move away from the lush summer sounds of The previous song and bring you a track from Slumb Party whose sound is not a million miles from the awesome International Noise Conspiracy and a slew of New Wave bands like XTC if they had punk rock on loop. This is the opening track from their ‘Spending Money’ album released in 2019.

Next, we head south for a trip down under and bring you the excellent Cutters who hail from Melbourne Australia and this is the track ‘Asphalt City’ from the awesome EP ‘Australian War Crimes’. Another day another belter from down under. There’s no messing with these boys they get straight to the point and don’t fuck about. Guaranteed to raise the blood pressure as they surge on a wave of hardcore pun rock with more than a hint of classic Motorhead happening, love it.

We continue down the cartwheeling punk rock route and bring the brand new song from Chubby And The Gang who tell us all about what it’s like ‘To Be Young’. I presume it was taken from their forthcoming album ‘And Then There Was‘ due for sale on October 4th hit the link and pre-order one of the various formats and limited edition variants of wax.

Everybody loves a maverick frontman and there aren’t many currently doing the rounds so why not shine a light on Austin Texas’ Jesus Lizard who have a brand new album on the way in September entitled ‘Rack’. David Yow and band are still delivering it by the sounds of the track already leaked out for the new LP. We delve back in time to their debut and the first time and song I ever heard from the band and ‘One Evening’ off their ‘Head’ album that filled the air with that angst and power back in 1990.

Fast forward a couple of decades and the UK continues to influence the music scenes everywhere and 2024 is no exception with plenty of great music currently being made and released. Millie Maunders & The Shutup are a band that are definitely on the upward trajectory and with a new album and UK tour on the horizon it’s time we played a song and nowhere better to start than the latest single off the album ‘Can I Get Off?’ it’s released on 02.08.24 and you can catch them live everywhere thereafter as well as a couple of special in stores around the record’s release. A real positive message and a band that has something to say that we all could learn from, Millie Maunders Ladies and Gentlemen.

As we head into the home straight we bring a couple of songs from across the pond that Rock – first up is a new song from Richard Dugay & The Beautiful Decline and his new EP ‘Second Prize’. After four excellent solo records, it’s time for an EP (not that we need reminding of this guy) he plays an honest style of Rock that has to be done right and Dugay nails it right here on this track ‘Mystery’ We could have picked any one of the songs on the EP as they’re all killing it. Happy to fall in line somewhere between classic Cooper and Aerosmith Dugay continues to write and record top tunes. Some awesome guitar work that raised the temperature throughout and his warm vocals that hits the bullseye. If you’re looking for a fix of Rock n Roll that’s authentic and exciting then this is what you’ve been looking for.

The penultimate song on this show is the B Side off the new Chesterfield Kings Single ‘Fly The Astral Plane’ (which is great) but, we wanted you to hear how good the B Side is. If they can replicate the quality on the new album that they got on ‘Psychedelic Sunrise’ then we’re in for a treat. Wicked Cool Records knows they have a surefire winner here. such a great band who deserves to be heard and it’s great that they have the faith of a great label like Wicked Cool releasing their records. Check it out ‘So Sad About Us’.

Now we’ve reached the end and our race is run for this week. With only one left to play, Chris chose the brand new song from Fucked Up to end on a note of noise and we fully endorse his choice and something of a return to form for the Canadian Hardcore band. The new album drops next month and from what we’ve heard so far it’s one not to be missed. so until next time adios Amigos, diolch. Thanks for listening and taking the time.

Sulo – ‘Rough Diamond + Rare Gems and Rowdy Tracks’ (Wild Kingdom)

Sulo – ‘Rough Diamond + Rare Gems and Rowdy Tracks’ (Wild Kingdom)

Released way back in 2003 ‘Rough Diamond’ in the debut solo album from Sulo Karlsson, frontman of Swedish glam boogie merchants Diamond Dogs. It’s a bit of a lost gem actually, a limited release on CD at the time, it was recorded sometime between 1997-99 at the legendary Sunset Studios by the even more legendary producer Thomas Skogsberg (Hellacopters/Backyard Babies). If you’re an avid Diamond Dogs fan, you probably have it in your collection, if not then you’re in for a real treat as It has now been reissued on vinyl for the first time with the added extra album ‘Rare Gems & Rowdy Tracks’. 

‘Rough Diamond’ opens with an early version of the Diamond Dogs classic anthem ‘Weekend Monster’. A raw and ramshackle run through with cool backing vocals and Chuck Berry licks, all delivered with the high energy you would expect. It’s a fine way to kick off an album in that certain rock n’ roll style we come to expect from one of Sweden’s finest songwriters.

‘Inflammable 69 er’ is about as close to Hanoi Rocks as anything Sulo has been involved with. By the time that boogie-woogie chorus rolls around, you will be reminded just how well this guy manages to channel classic 70’s rock n’ roll. Nice nod to Pretty Vacant on the outro too.

The rockers are up there. The title track is full of honky tonk piano, low-slung riffs and a punky energy. ‘RnR Declaration’ is a killer tune, and ‘Ba Ba Ba (The Word Is On The Street)’ is a classic Sulo rocker with an earworm of a chorus, and if you’re a Diamond Dogs fan you just might recognise it from somewhere else in the double D discography. 

The 70’s glam stomp of ‘I’ll Be Your Monkey’ is mighty, a nice sax solo to boot and a refrain you’ll swear you’ve heard before, what’s not to like? 

We take things down on ‘Living Legends Dying Hearts’ as Sulo delivers his trademark heartfelt balladry with raspy vocals, a fistful of soul and a chorus his contemporaries would die to get their tonsil into.

The highlights are plentiful and repeated listens have you juggling the top trumps. But for me right now it’s ‘Vegas Vamp’. From the intent in the verses, to the emotion in the chorus and even the production, it all just gels nicely. It’s up there with his best as far as I’m concerned.

While ‘Rough Diamond’ is a full-blown rock n’ roll record, ‘Rare Gems’ is a more diverse and experimental collection of solo songs and duets of varying quality and style. Over the course of the first four or five songs we explore emotive balladry, country, folk and even jazz… yes, you read it right!

The soulful, heartfelt balladry of ‘Linger My Love’ opens the extra album of goodies, and is probably the strongest offering here. “Save your teardrops for tomorrow” our hero croons over countrified instrumentation. Featuring Thin Lizzy’s Brian Robertson on the old geetar, it’s an emotive ballad that gets under the skin on first listen.

‘Lonely Street Choir’ then sees our man head off into country territory with the help of Nashville singer Crystal Gayle. The familiar melody of ‘Roll On’ shines through the pop production. It feels like a demo, with the drum machine giving it a summer dance feel rather than the usual low slung rock n’ roll we come to expect. But a good song is a good song, no matter the production. 

‘In Case You Fall In Love With Me’ explores jazz with laid back instrumentation and a sense of yearning, it’s a bit of an oddball but worth the inclusion. 

The folky ‘Stay Away From Me’ and the anthemic drinking song ‘Glory & Grace’ channel the likes of The Pogues and The Levellers with accordions and acoustics and flagons of ale raised for a singalong. 

Ballads, duets and drum machine demos make up the latter part of the album, and show songs that are works in progress, showing a glimpse of a songwriter experimenting and spreading his wings.

‘Rough Diamond’ remains essential listening for fans of Sulo’s day job and the bonus album contains several gems that make this double album worth hunting down. It’s a bit of a treat. 

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

Dinosaur Jr – ‘Farm’ Vinyl reissue on its 15th anniversary

Dinosaur Jr – ‘Farm’ Vinyl reissue on its 15th anniversary

Today, Dinosaur Jr. announce a 15th anniversary expanded reissue of their seminal second post-reunion album, Farm, originally released in 2009 to widespread critical acclaim. The limited lime-coloured vinyl reissue is released Aug 16th via the band’s long-term home of Jagjaguwar. Pre-orders are open now, here: https://dinosaur-jr.lnk.to/Farm-15th-Anniversary

This expanded deluxe edition of Farm features four songs never pressed to vinyl and never given worldwide release: ‘Houses‘, ‘Whenever You’re Ready‘ (The Zombies Cover), ‘Creepies‘ (Instrumental), and ‘Show‘. ‘Whenever You’re Ready’, a cover of classic pop-rockers The Zombies, is impossibly good for a hidden gem; Murph stomps in with a sledgehammer to the kit, J and Lou layer low-end and fuzz like two halves of one brain, and right when things feel biggest, airy and colossal, there’s J with a lightning bolt of a guitar solo. Pure electricity and melody like only he can make.

To celebrate the reissue’s announcement, you can stream ‘Whenever You’re Ready’ here: https://dinosaur-jr.lnk.to/Whenever-Youre-Ready

When Dinosaur Jr. reunited, more than 20 years after their formation and legendary dissolution, the worry was that these guys were just flogging the back catalog, taking the old show on the road as a marketing gimmick. But the 2007 release of Beyond gave a hearty Marshall-driven “F**K YOU!” answer to those inquiring ears. Restoring the sound established by the unassailable hat-trick gambit of their first three albums – Dinosaur, You’re Living All Over Me, and Bug – Beyond continued the band’s march into rock greatness by making old ears smile and new ears bleed afresh.
 
And then came Farm, the 9th full length record by the original line-up: J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph. If Beyond was Dinosaur Jr.’s return to form, Farm is proof that Dinosaur Jr. could (and still do, to this day!) deliver timeless, exhilarating rock music.   Farm encompasses Dinosaur Jr.’s signature palette: soaring and distorted guitar, unshakable hooks, honey-rich melodies.  At times wholly 70’s guitar-epic, at times perfect for sitting by a babbling brook with Joni and Neil, these songs get into your head and stay there, bouncing happily around. The ear-catching ‘Plans‘ is nearly seven minutes of classic whipped-topping rock dessert, while ‘I Don’t Wanna Go There‘ is a meat-and-potatoes main dish, mixing unapologetic lead guitar with straight-ahead delivery a la James Gang or Humble Pie.

Recorded in J Mascis’ Bisquiteen studio in Amherst, Massachusetts, Farm was produced by Mascis himself, and delivers the singular, unique energy of one of America’s greatest living rock bands.

For more information, please visit www.dinosaurjr.com

Millie Manders And The Shut Up – Can They Get Off?

Millie Manders And The Shut Up – Can They Get Off?

Millie Manders and The Shutup have shared the video for Can I Get Off? taken from their forthcoming second album Wake Up, Shut Up, Work to be released on 2 August.

The video exposes the rage and grievance that Millie feels about the prevailing state of the world, the intense suffering, the hardship and the immense inequality: “The western world is privileged because it has pillaged resources from everyone else in the world. We need to unlearn what we know and recognise the suffering people are going through as a result of our greed. Can I Get Off? is an outpouring of my frustrations about that.”

The band have announced details of an autumn headline tour for the forthcoming Wake Up, Shut Up, Work album, the follow up to their acclaimed debut Telling Truths, Breaking Ties. The album will be self-released on 2 August and can be preordered on CD and vinyl here https://linktr.ee/milliemanders as well as from a number of independent record stores – Rough Trade, Banquet, Resident, Truck, Crash Records, Sister Ray and Cool Discs among others – and Amazon.

AUGUST

Tue 06 Kingston Banquet Records Instore @ 6.00 pm

Sat 24 Leeds Crash Records @ 12.00 noon

OCTOBER

Thu 24 Brighton Patterns

Fri 25 Southampton 1865

Sat 26 High Wycombe Arts Centre

Sun 27 Bedford Esquires

Thu 31 Birmingham Actress & Bishop

NOVEMBER

Fri 01 Bristol Thekla

Sat 02 Exeter Cavern

Sun 03 Sheffield Yellow Arch Studios

Wed 06 Hull New Adelphi

Thu 07 Newcastle Cluny 1

Fri 08 Manchester Club Academy

Sat 09 Nottingham Rescue Rooms

Sat 16 Norwich Waterfront

LEMMY FOREVER Memorial at BLOODSTOCK 2024

LEMMY FOREVER Memorial at BLOODSTOCK 2024

Only a month now until metalheads will return to Derbyshire’s Catton Park in the UK, where BLOODSTOCK welcomes headbangers from all over the world along with 120 bands to another unforgettable 4 day festival experience from August 8 – 11, 2024. Fans can look forward to headliners like Amon Amarth, Architects, and Opeth and see Hatebreed, Korpiklaani, Malevolence, Satyricon, Deicide, Whitechapel, Enslaved, and many more on stage or enjoy fairground rides, Viking battles, a gaming arena, heavy metal art gallery, signing tent, or drinks on the festival grounds.

But there’s one more reason 2024 will be a very special year at Bloodstock: By arrangement with Official Motörhead management, Bloodstock has announced that the legendary, late, great Lemmy Kilmister will be permanently memorialised at the heavy metal festival. Some of Lemmy’s ashes will be housed at BLOODSTOCK – one of only a few places globally – in a unique urn, with the festival commissioning a Bust of Lemmy to incorporate the ashes. Fans will be able to view the installation and pay tribute to Lemmy and his legacy in the Rock And Metal Museum on site. Once the festival is over, the Bust of Lemmy will move to Nottingham’s ROCK CITY where fans will have access to the ashes; they will return each and every year to their primary home on the hallowed turf of BLOODSTOCK at Catton Park. The ceremony takes place officially on Friday the 9th of August at BLOODSTOCK. The memorial will be part of a bigger picture theme for the festival this year to commemorate this special news and celebrate the remarkable legacy of Lemmy and Motörhead. In a way, the ghost of Lemmy Kilmister will watch over the fans at BLOODSTOCK – this year and forever!

– The RAM Gallery on site will be extended this year to accommodate an expanded Motörhead theme, including a full wall of Motörhead artwork, as well as archive memorabilia, plus you can relive a moment in time by visiting a recreation of Lemmy’s touring dressing room.
– On site this year, BLOODSTOCKers will see the Motörhead Bomber in the arena, witness various bands paying tribute to Motörhead by incorporating Motörhead tracks into their live sets, and the opening and closing of the festival will be marked with a sounding of the famous Motörhead Air Raid Siren.
– BLOODSTOCK will also welcome Motörhead’s Phil Campbell to the festival this year and are thrilled to have his participation in these special celebrations.

Even more Motörhead themed activations are still in the works, so stay tuned as this exciting development continues coming together!

Motörhead’s manager Todd Singerman comments: “BLOODSTOCK has always been a special place for Motörhead and for Lemmy. The people and the energy matched Lemmy’s values perfectly. Alan and Vicky were also great friends, and basically family of Lemmy, as he was the reason that they originally got together. This is definitely a fitting honor in the continuing series of enshrinements of Lemmy’s ashes in his most loved places.” Bloodstock’s Vicky Hungerford adds: “We were humbled and honoured to be approached by Motörhead management to have Lemmy’s ashes at BLOODSTOCK. Lemmy holds a very special place in everybody’s heart, but to myself and my husband he was the reason we met and fell in love. Nothing will mean more to us and the BLOODSTOCK family than to honour his legacy and have Lemmy forever at BLOODSTOCK.”

Get your tickets before they’re gone: https://www.bloodstock.uk.com/

Peter Murphy – ‘Live Volume One – Covers’ & Live Volume Two Blender Theatre NYC 2008′ (Cadiz/Silver Shade)

Peter Murphy – ‘Live Volume One – Covers’ & Live Volume Two Blender Theatre NYC 2008′ (Cadiz/Silver Shade)

Not really needing an introduction but here goes anyway, Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy launches Silver Shade Records with two releases. The First is a short sharp poke to the temple of some covers that have helped shape the uber Goth vocalist and performer and he wastes no time in bastardising Iggys ‘Funtime’ into a heaving wall of distortion and wailing and it sounds fantastic and seeing as its live it has a very raw live feel to proceedings and what a way to kick off a record, spot on.

‘Transmission’ is performed in front of Hooky and Murphy owns it with his iconic and most distinctive vocal. To be fair who can forget his band’s cover of ‘Ziggy’ so hearing Murphy perform some iconic tracks in his own style is a joy to behold. He’s done nine studio albums on his own so this series of live recordings is most welcome for his championing some classic tracks and keeping their soul and spirit alive. The quality varies to be fair and the bootleg sound quality or straight from the board of ‘Final Solution’ is chaotic and head fucking in its delivery. Sure ‘Space Oddity’ isn’t exactly pushing the boundaries but so what it’s all about Murphy’s interpretation of the music that shaped him and its nine tracks that are absolutely nailed and his Bowie cover is spine-tingling and sparse.

One track I wasn’t expecting was his take of ‘Purple Rain’ and as we head to its conclusion ‘The Light Pours Out Of Me’ is Gothtastic before ending the record with a wonderful take of @Hurt’ that features the one and only Mr Reznor on Keyboards and sounds like it might have been recorded in his living room with its spine tingling vocal from Murphy worth it for this rendition alone, amazing. Oh, for the record, it was Rezner who wrote it, not Mr Cash as some might have you believe. A real treat even if it is a bit on the expensive side even if it is Pressed on very special Gold Nugget vinyl and housed in a deluxe, embossed and UV glossed sleeve, limited to 2,000 numbered copies.

Buy Here

‘Live Volume Two’ – The second release is still £40 but this time you get two LPs of live Murphy material which is nineteen tracks spread over the two records and is a wonderful recording from 2008. From the chilling intro to the howling feedback goth classic of ‘The Line Between The Devils Teeth’ that flows into the dark brooding chug of ‘Disappearing In Her Hand’ is Murphy at his very best from a whisper to a scream or a howl its engaging and powerful stuff as the listener is treated to a thrilling show that glides effortlessly through his career from Bahaus classics to the very best of his solo material up to the recording. ‘Marlene Dietrich’s Favourite Poem’ and a fascinating ‘A Strange Kind Of Love’ bleeding into ‘Bela Lagosi’s Dead’ and then following the acoustic version into a full electric ‘Shes In Parties’ that stutters into the fantastic ‘Be My Wife’. To release both albums at the same time is cool even at the price I fear these will be must-owns for any self-respecting Goths out there looking for a fix of one of the genre’s finest, most inventive and iconic artists at the very top of his game. Buy Vol Two Here

Author: Dom Daley

Pack Rat – ‘Lifes A Trap’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Pack Rat – ‘Lifes A Trap’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Fast, loud, tight, melodic punk rock gnawing away at your brain is about where Pack Rat sits. After a debut LP a couple of years ago, Patrick McEachnie (Chain Whip) decided he had more in the tank so he’s back with a stunning sophomore LP ‘Lifes A Trap’.
Where the first LP was Pat taking care of everything, this time it is a full band, resulting in an album of bouncy, power-poppy rippers with great hooks and pop sensibility, inspired by the less abrasive, more melodically driven side of ’70s punk. 13 brand new songs with boundless punch and a whole heap of fun from the opening tick, tick, boom of opener ‘Heart Beat’ right through this old – New Wave its a blast and so infectious. to full in love with. Summer never tasted so good.

It’s old school but still manages to sound fresh as fuck. Like a melting pot of Buzzcocks, 80s new wave and a heap of American big beasts hook after fuckin hook ‘Neighbours’ has that bubblegum girlie call back adding a high school bounce to proceedings over the buzzsaw guitars. ‘Ask A Punk’ begins with the lo-fi bass thump whilst the lyrics are barbed and McEachnie has his tongue stuck in his safety-pinned cheek.

‘Can’t Stop’ and ‘Electrified’ are as punk as fuck and Jello would kill to pen songs this cool in 2024. Once the keys on ‘Rat Trap’ get in your ear that’s it game over this will quickly become your go-to punk rock record for the first half of 2024. ‘Pure Trash’ is Ramones for the rats and a thumping runaway train of a track. The fact that bands are making records this bloody good in 2024 is heartwarming and a joy to listen to. Don’t take my word for it get over to Bandcamp and fill yer boots because ‘Lifes A Trap’ is a show pony of a record and I love it. Buy It!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley