When Ginna Rhodes and Ben Marsden from The Main Grains announced they would be forming a little punk rock outfit with The Idol Dead frontman Polly, I don’t think anyone expected too much to come from it. When they subsequently announced a Pledge-funded album and recording sessions with the one and only Dave Draper (Ginger, Ryan Hamilton etc) ears pricked up…maybe they were serious after all. And left to their own devices, it’s amazing what these three have conjured up.
We all pledged without hearing a single note. Why would we put our faith in these 3 loveable Northern herberts? Your guess is as good as mine, but now it’s time to see if The Spangles can deliver.
Ok, first things first. Let’s try to establish a few facts; this is a covers album right? I mean, I seem to know all these tunes already, so it must be. These choruses are already embedded in my DNA it seems, how is that possible?
So if it’s not a covers album, I wanna know how they managed to distill everything I love about the rock n’ roll world into 12 songs? In just under 30 minutes, you’ll hear nods to more 70’s punk and 90’s Britrock legends than you can shake a stick at.
This album is so new I don’t have any info on it, who knows who wrote these glorious slabs of punked-up power pop, and I can only hazard a guess as to who sings what. While Polly is playing bass, Ginna and Ben stick to what they do best and I think the lead vocals are shared out between all three by the sound of it.
Opener ‘Growing Up’ starts strong, like The Yo-Yos jamming with Sorry and the Sinatras, a great chorus but it’s just a taster of what’s to come. The following ‘The Only One’ is surely the greatest song Rivers Cuomo never wrote and the essence of what this band is capable of. A wall of riffage and a chorus so upbeat it will give instant goosebumps and put a smile on the face of the grumpiest fucker in town. You’ll wonder how you ever managed without it in your life.
Powerful, punk-pop goodness follows with ‘One Good Reason’ and ‘Dirty Pictures’, The Spangles do trashy so well. ‘POTUS’ is dumb-ass punk rock, ‘Here We Go Again’ is The Soho Roses and album closer ‘Ramone’ is a burst of fury with a glorious gang vocal refrain that name-checks as many Ramones songs as possible. I name these three songs now, as these are the average songs on the album, and by ‘average’, I mean in the context of this album. As the songs on this album are of a very high standard indeed.
‘Back On The Meds Again’, with its ‘Nita Nitro’ intro, comes on like a classic Wildhearts B side and we all know what a good place that is to be, right? A snotty verse leads to another killer, gang vocal chorus backed by a wall of fat guitars.
‘I Don’t Wanna Go’ sounds like The Buzzcocks meets The Soho Roses. An instant sugar buzz with a euphoric chorus most bands could only dream of. You’ll be singing along to those “whoa-whoa” vocals and the following chorus again and again, believe me.
‘Get Over Yourself’ again, has a massive chorus. With its indie beats and killer riff, it comes on like classic Terrorvision. This song could be a dancefloor filler in rock clubs across the country, make no mistake.
But it’s ‘Hold My Hand’ that is in contention for song of the year. Damn this is sublime power pop. It’s Weezer meets Redd Kross meets Silver Sun. It’s up there man, more infectious than Herpes and twice as fun. On a par with The Interrupters ‘She’s Kerosene’ for song of the year for me.
Not officially released until February, ‘#Sweet AF’ is already a strong contender for next year’s album of the year lists. And considering we have highly anticipated albums from The Wildhearts and Michael Monroe to look forward to, they are in good company.
The surprise, feel-good album of the year with more potential hits than any band should be allowed to possess. They may have started with sweet fuck all, but their debut album is sweet as fuck! Is it too soon to suggest The Spangles could be your new favourite band?
With Christmas just around the corner, this week’s Rainy Days & Mondays has been brought to you by Gerald who wanted to shine a little cheer into the darkest corners of your life. First up he selected ‘You’re A Doll’ from Montreal’s Pale Lips.
Next up is a video from former Hardcore Superstar Thomas Silver.
Last up is Wien Austria own Reverend Backflash and their single ‘Fuckaround’. Enjoy folks and happy holiday
Not Just your regular summer, no sir, this one is hot! and its only getting hotter!
June 2018
Whilst May was relatively quiet (slang) June was positively bristling with releases and live shows for the RPM crew and the beginning of the festival season was open. But we couldn’t mention June 2018 without a few tributes to fallen comrades in Rock and Roll.
Firstly, Heavy Drapes frontman Garry Alexander Borland passed away the first week after returning from Holland after a really successful show at Rebellion over there. Garry’s passing was a huge shock to people close to him obviously but his passing was also felt in the wider alternative community with his band on the verge of much bigger and better things what with the up and coming decent billing at Rebellion UK and their debut album ready to go so its only right we record this moment and pay tribute to Garry. May he rest in peace.
Another sad passing was that of DJ Fontana who was Elvis Presley’s drummer for many a year, Dominic Joseph Fontana was responsible for laying down the backbeat on almost 500 songs with the king which is no mean feat and a really impressive CV by any standard also it’s only right we recognise his contribution to music. Rest in Peace DJ.
Sadly a third influential musician passed away in June this year, none other than Nick Knox the second but longest-serving Cramps drummer. Nick joined the band from the Electric Eels and occupied the drum stool from 1977-1991, Knox toured with the band and appeared on some of the Cramps’ best recordings, ‘Songs The Lord Taught Us‘, ‘Psychedelic Jungle’ and ‘A Date With Elvis’. Rest In Peace Nick Knox the man behind Lux and the man behind the shades.
Sadly the fourth person to pass away in June was none other than West coast punk rock legend Steve Soto of The Adolescents. Steve was originally the bass player in Agent Orange back in ’79 he then served as bass player in the Adolescents until passing. the most recent album ‘Cropduster‘ being his final piece of work and easily one of 2018 finest albums. The band went on to tour the summer around Europe with stand-in player and dedicated the set each night to Steve where they had a backdrop replacing the band’s logo and replacing it with SOTO at Rebellion in August Tony Reflex dedicated the show to his bandmate in a touching speech and subsequent performance that was electric and memorable, Rest In Peace Steve 54 is way too young.
Right hopefully onto much happier matters for the month of June 2018. With Festival season in full swing Fraser headed to Download and watched The Bronx, The Hives and Turbonegro show the festivals other acts how Rock and Roll was meant to be delivered to the people. elsewhere it seemed like the world and his Mrs were off to see the Rolling Stones play some enormadome or should that be a field?
IT might have cost the GDP of some countries to get close enough to see the band measure up to the size of a subbutteo player but it has to be said nobody was disappointed in either the performance or the setlist the band was knocking out on this leg of the tour. Jagger was ever his peter pan like self careering from one side of the huge stage to the other like he was a child with more energy than most performers more than half his age and some.
Nev decided he’d bowl darn London way and take in what Camden Rocks had to offer. Basically, all the pubs of any note and the dive bars, as well as the more famous landmarks such as Dingwalls, Electric Ballroom etc throw, open their doors to live Rock and Roll for the day and if you have a wristband and there’s room at the inn then uh, you’re in! Just wear some comfortable shoes and a stage planner. You might just happen across your favourite new band or someone you’ve been meaning to catch and hey presto there they are. (Deep Breath time) This year Nev caught The Ramonas at the Dublin Castle – Dirty Thrills at The Underworld Talia Dean in Brew Dog then back to the underworld for Sonic Boom Six and some knees up skanking ska which went down rather well with Nev. It wouldn’t have been right had our roving scribe not caught Urban Voodoo Machine down at the lock where the place to be was indeed Dingwalls then to finish off a marathon of live entertainment it was Camden Assembly for some Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors before the Rifles was a curtain call for Mr Brooks but he wasn’t banking on bumping into Paul-Ronny Angel either so his night wasn’t quite over!
Ben went to Rambling Man Fair and enjoyed the performances of such heavyweight rockers as The Cult and also managed to catch RPM favourites Jim Jones and The Righteous Mind as well as the real mock rockers Steel Panth..Nah I can’t type it sorry folks I’d be doing RPM a disservice even mentioning them. anyway, Ben also managed to take in the large club gig of the month that was the triple-headed Britrock Must Be Destroyed touring carnival that featured a rotating line up of Reef, The Wildhearts, and Terrorvision. there were multiple dates to be fair and it was decided on the day how the running order would play out. I reckon each band made new fans on the night as reports were coming in of all three raising each others game and an excellent way to tour. The night Ben had in Leeds also saw Dodgy added to the lineup.
Our intrepid European correspondent or one of them Craggy got to see Repetitor live at Kabinet Muz, Brno I said Craggy got to see Repetitor in Brno…oh forget it he enjoyed it anyway said it was one of his highlights of the year to be fair.
Now with a sharp intake of breath June was positively overflowing with album releases that would bother top tens come the end of the year. Just a few of those contenders has to be The Interrupters with their ‘Fight The Good Fight’ that saw them leap up the rankings with a fantastic collection of tunes that was shaking up not just fans of the bands previous two albums but new music fans who heard one of the many potential hits on the radio or tv with the album set to just keep on selling and selling we are looking at the next big thing as they won’t be playing clubs for much longer.
Getting Tim Armstrong in to produce the record is a great move as the guy oozes class and knows his way around a ska-punk record and if he had a hand in any of the songwriting or arranging then boy pat yourselves on the back because the infectious ‘A Friend Like Me’, ‘Shes Kerosene’ and the awesome ‘Got Each Other’ are three reasons why this record will deservedly be in many ends of year top 3’s and rightly so..
Elsewhere June saw the release of London Towns Portuguese legends The Parkinson’s return with the LP ‘The Shape Of Nothing To Come’ that confirmed that these gentlemen still had it and it was a fine return to the fold in every way. Now expanded to a five piece you can take the boys out of punk rock but you can’t ever take the punk rock out of the boys and that boys and girls is a fact. the Parkinsons still have the chops.
Another couple of worthy mentions in the albums released in June has to be Smash Fashion and their ‘Rompus Pompous’. Which has gone down a right storm at RPM as they’ve really hit their stride on this one and joioning them would have to be Nottingham’s The Speedways with the fantastic slice of power pop that is ‘Just Another Regular Summer’ the brains behind the idea to write an album was Matt former guitarist of The Breakdowns he’s since formed a band after the success of the record and has played a number of shows and next year they’ve already planned some shows in Spain and London. It really is power pop perfection and a record we highly recommend.
The old school shouldn’t be forgotten either because June was also the month when the phrase you can’t teach an old dog new tricks was debunked because The Uk Subs once again released a new album ‘Subversions’ of some of their favourite songs by other people – sure a cover album. there might well be some you could see coming but there are others on the album that you would never have seen coming.
Over in NYC the birthplace of hardcore and home to some of the best bands around Madball made a new record they put out in June 2018 and the brutal ‘For The Cause’ was unleashed on the world and immediately felt at home with the RPM crew.
Finally a mention of records released in June this time for the magnificent London power poppin’ punk rockin’ Los Pepe who released their long playing Greatest Hits on Snap Records! it came with a CD of the album and they also got to knock out a single this month as well which was nice. Don’t get me started on singles that appeared this month because ther were plenty with my pick of the pack coming from the Randy Savages who were ‘Guilty Of Nuthin’ .
There are some shows that when they get announced you just know you’re going to be there for some reason you follow the star and on this occasion that star led us all the way to London Towns Lexington for the only date from Seattle’s The Briefs. Now I’d already seen them this year at Rebellion in the confines of the Empress Ballroom and as much of a great night that was I wanted to see them in some club surrounded by fellow punkers all after the same rush of energy and boy when the line up was announced expectations went through the roof.
I first saw the band support the Misfits way back in 2007 but for the life of me can’t remember a great deal about it (bloody apple juice) so this time sober I made the long journey expecting entertainment from a super strong undercard that featured former Role Model Sulli and More Kicks who opened at the eye-popping half seven would anyone else show up?
Of course they would, the place quickly filled as the band knocked out their power pop goodies with frontman Sulli leading this three-piece through an entertaining and excellent set of sharp, catchy and most excellent tunes. I don’t know the names of most of the songs as their only offerings so far in the 7″ single ‘Its A Drag’ but they duly perform that and the audience showed their appreciation for what was excellently crafted tunes. ‘She’s A Reaction’, ‘Tearing It Down and ‘ Blame It On The Satellite’ stood out for me. So far so good as tonight was already hitting the high expectations. I also appreciated the brief Buzzcocks lyric thrown in to respect to the passing of Pete Shelley that week, whose influence is there in the music of More Kicks for sure – nice touch Sulli. So, More Kicks, Remember the name we’ll be featuring them in 2019 when they will have new records and live shows already pencilled in. Sulli, Marco and Kris that was top notch.
Next up were Miscalculations from London Town and I must say live, that cold almost Brutalist sound isn’t there as the band sped through their set that was bright and warm sounding, and in all honesty – just fantastic. opening with ‘The Inaudible Pitch’ off their first record The band were on fire and seemed well up for this. With that cold brutalist sound not being there it was down to the songs to just do their thing and as the band peeled off one after the other with only spoken word tape playing between them they gave a masterclass of punk with a Buzzcocks like ferocity to the performance that punchy basslines sounded huge in the room tonight with Mauros Les Paul really cutting through the songs iy sounded like he’d gone to battle swinging a mace but his chosen weapon was his guitar. ‘Live With Myself’ also from the debut album followed and by the time ‘Severing The Spine Of Confidence’ was played I was sold – this was excellent. Picking a favourite tonight was impossible but ‘Writers Block’ and ‘Invisible Uniform’ would come pretty close. It was a set you just didn’t want to end and it looked like the band were having the best of time as well. That won’t be the last time I encounter Miscalculations live that’s for sure. Two down just the main course to go! Follow That you Briefs.
With very little room left in the Lexington to find some oxygen, The Briefs took the stage on this chilly Sunday night to a rapturous reception and after the intro, it was straight down to business as ‘Stuck On You’ started the body slamming and pogoing right from the off. Strap yourselves in folks it might get a little turbulent but the soundtrack on this journey is off the hook. Now, this is where bands like The Briefs work best – a tight club full of sweaty smiling faces singing along with every word a band and its audience as one getting down to some seriously good Rock ‘n’ Roll.
The Briefs are just one of those bands who have numerous albums packed to the gills with catchy songs that just get inside your head and stay put, it makes sense that live it doesn’t really matter what they play then because you just know that it’s going to be good, no. Not good but great. ‘My Baby Is A communist’, ‘Rotten Love’, ‘Silvia’ followed by ‘We Americans’ now tell me how that isn’t pretty fuckin’ awesome as an opening four songs? You wouldn’t want to follow a band like The Briefs how can you especially on this kinda form. The only way it is possible to maintain this level of enjoyment is to knock out a new song and tonight that’s exactly what The Briefs do and the new song is the recent singles B Side ‘She’s The Rat’.
We also, at this point get informed that a new Briefs album is in the can and the good people at Damaged Goods are releasing it early 2019! How d’ya like that folks? A new Briefs album early in 2019. who was it said Rock n Roll guitar music is dead? Send that moron round to the Lexington and tell these three bands and this audience that. then watch as they get laughed out of the club by the capacity crowd who are soaking up the guitar music on show tonight.
‘Run The Other Way’ then ‘Silver Bullets’ get the audience fist punching as the buzz kill pace of prime time Ramones is hammered out kill- Die-Kill-Die not exactly seasons greetings but fuck it this awesome. ‘Destroy The USA’ from ‘Sex Objects’ get aired then there’s time for the new singles A-side ‘Kids Laugh At You’. A quick look at the stopwatch and there’s still time for a few more as long as their fast and short – noted and duly obliged. Then we’re well into the home straight and very soon this will all be over, I was lost in a moment of some punk rock bliss that I didn’t notice really that the end was in sight as the band troop off stage for a quick rub down before the encores and out you go.
After the Briefest (sorry) time the band was back on stage and strapped in ready to take this thing home. It was to be kicked down the road in spectacular fashion with a hattrick of tunes that would be a match for any punk rock bands best set moment let alone just the encore. ‘Killed By Ants’ led us into the final furlong then it was ‘New Pair Of Shoes’ before the inevitable ending of the mighty ‘Poor And Weird’ and then it was done.
My high expectations were realised and three bands totally killed it. Three very different bands but all with strands of the same DNA and did punk rock ‘n’ power poppin’ Rock and Roll justice. Tonight with one of the best shows of the year no doubt about it and even a week later I’m still buzzin’ – That’s the evil powers of Rock and Roll right there, now when can we do all this again? Pretty Please.
Pictures marked Zigpix are published with the kind permission of the owner all other pics RPM Online.
with Summer just around the corner, the (dis) United Kingdom was warming up nicely surprisingly May was a rather quiet month for the scribes at RPM well before RPM but you get my gist. Ben was getting his head around The Future Shape Of Sound and their ‘Showdown Gospel’. Whilst we’re on the subject of the Gypsy Hotel it might be the right time to mention that Urban Voodoo Machine also released a record this month which happened to be a compilation record entitled ’15 Shots From The Urban Voodoo Machine’ which wrapped their singles and bits and bobs up very nicely into the one package and it seemed like the best idea to then go out and tour the record. I also got to see them once again and same as before and the time before that etc etc they were absolutely awesome and never fail to play the most entertaining live show out there.
whilst we’re on the subject of records released in May 2018 I have to mention a few of my personal favourites that put out great records firstly a man who should need any introductions but I’m going to anyway – James Williamson & The Pink Hearts. featuring (The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs) and Petra Haden (Haden Triplets) with the fantastic ‘Behind The Shade’. also I have to note that Kevin K also put out his something like 95th solo album ‘Too Much too Sun’ I might jest about how many records the guy has released but he’s a phenomenon and deserves respect for the amount of time and effort he puts into his music and I love it when he does release his next CD and even if he says no more, trust me he will.
Also in the pre-summer rush, those cool cats from Burbank California Prima Donna saw fit to release ‘S/T’ and much like Urban Voodoo Machine they can do no wrong in my eyes and have never made a bad record. Kevin Preston leads the band into their Fourth Long Player this time coming out on the excellent Wicked Cool Records now a four piece line up ‘4 Real’ was released as the lead single from the album.
Also casting our minds back to May, Beach Slang released their long-awaited Quiet Slang altar ego that featured a whole long player full of orchestrated tunes entitled ‘Everything Matters But No one Is Listening’. James Alex is one talented guy and going from alternative rocker to string arrangements and softly delivered tunes such as the amazing ‘Dirty Cigarettes’ is no easy step. Fantastic record and not only one of this month’s highlights but one of the years highlights.
On the live front, there were a few tours that went out most notably the doubleheader that was Zeke and The Hip Priests tearing it up across the UK which Fraser noted as one of his years’ highlights.
However, it has to be noted he (Fraser Munro) also managed to see Steps play Waddon Road which is Cheltenham Towns football ground the same month he saw Zeke and the Hip Priests so maybe Zeke affected his head or he bumped it whilst on the good ship Thekla? Maybe he didn’t and he’s really a massive steps fan as he also is rumored to have a picture of Ian Watkins on his wall lets hope its the real H and not some imposter – you decide.
On that bombshell maybe its best we leave May and quickly delve into June. I’ll leave you with two of the finest albums of 2018 in the shape of ’15 shots’ from the magnificent Urban Voodoo Machine and Quiet Slang’s ‘Everything Matters’.
‘Screams in the wind’ is the English translation for opener ‘Gritos en el Viento’ to give it its proper title. You would be forgiven for thinking this band aren’t from these shores but think again all is not what it seems. For this seven-piece ensemble is indeed from these shores as well as the USA.
So this CD is split into two parts or Acts with Act 1 opening with the Exotic siesta inducing ‘Gritos en el Viento’ and as its an instrumental its very much a sit back dim the lights and let the music take you on a journey through dusty winding paths and give yourself over to the music and you’ll be fine. (I must resist from saying it reminds me of Comic Strip presents when they did Fistful Of Travellers Cheques) but to hear Rik speaking over this wouldn’t be that much of a stretch as the wind swirls and birds circle is it a mirage? Pass the wine.
Sure it’s not your conventional punk rock or garage either but something of an enigma maybe timeless pop created from a time when swirling organs and sharp bass lines were used from the artist’s pallet along with some timely horn stabs and lush classical nylon guitars Horse Feathers has the lot.
‘Two Tales’ is a more sprightly romp through its winding melodies as the instruments battle for space but manage to find their way it’s like a spaghetti Western film score soundtrack for some art flick in black and white as the spoken words of ‘Silver Screen’ make it an obvious place to pitch your wagon. It could and possibly should be the score for a Morricone flick or bonus material on some silent Western the playing is excellent and there are dashes of excellent Americana and the Spanish guitar and horn on ‘Asesinato (pts 1 & 2)’ is dreamlike when the spoken words drift in its like someone is whispering into your ear slightly unnerving but rather enjoyable and when the Cello kicks in its majestic sounding. At times it’s like a Jeffrey Lee Pierce project especially on songs like Part 2 of the aforementioned track and maybe the dark ‘Dorothy Hamilton’ even if the melody is upbeat I’m reminded of some of the more twisted parts on the Damneds Black Album.
spread out over ten tracks this is most definitely a journey you need to give yourself over to – clear your mind and indulge yourself you might find it plucks away on your heartstrings out on that dusty road or are you suffering sunstroke as ‘Honeymoon Killers’ picks away at that Spanish guitar before a word is softly spoken. Horse Feathers won’t be for everyone I know that and if you don’t give it a chance then it will simply waft over your head much like that cigar smoke that wafting out the door of that there saloon.
It seemed normal service had resumed and the UK was no longer under thread or code red because of the weather and the armed forces were asked to stand down from the impending doom that was heading our way if the week-long snow caused the country to slide into the Atlantic. April would see the customary Record Store Day madness that had clogged up pressing plants and caused delays right across the board as the majors jumped the queue with their plethora of reissues and one direction picture discs ready for the record buying public readily camping out on high streets across America and the UK hoping to get their hand on the Bowie seven inch that would only set them back £20 but hey if we didn’t buy into this it wouldn’t happen.
I digress. April was to be the month The Damned would finally get around to unleashing their new long player on the public after something like a decade since their last long player but this time they’ve gone all out to impress with Tony Visconti taking care of the production and in my humble opinion making it more about him and his knob twiddling duties than The Damned and as a result, an album that promised so much, in reality, delivered so little and won’t feature as anyone’s album of the year even though its not without merit as there are good songs on board but where is Paul Grays signature sound thumping its way through the songs? Did I not mention Gray was back in the fold? Oh sorry, how rude of me. yup Paul Gray was back in the fold and ‘Evil Spirits’ expectations hit the roof. It is certainly one of those albums you so desperately wanted to love but couldn’t quite convince yourself it was up there with some of their back catalogue but hey ho onwards and upwards and any Damned record however bad is still better than most other bands good albums. Fact. And the live dates were as expected – superb.
As far as other records to come out in April well, there’s always the ever-reliable Wonk Unit and this time out they’re unleashing ‘Terror’ upon us all. Once again it was recorded at the Brook and producer Andy Brook brought the best out of Alex and all who sail or should that be ride on the back of this thoroughbred stallion. it featured some classic Wonk none more so than this festive banger ‘Christmas In A Crackhouse’ but remember this is April. Nice one Alex.
On the 7″ front there were a few notable entries with the top of the pile being The DeRellas with the fantastic ‘High Rise Supersize’ seeing the recording debut of their new frontman and excellent fit Joey DeRella former frontman of the excellent Breakdowns.also on the singles front The Hip Priests released an excellent split with Demons and young upstarts The Kenneths put out a really excellent single in the shape of ‘Favourite Ex’ from the E.P ‘EX’ and hopefully 2019 will see RPM hear more from this most excellent of noise makers.
Onto the live front and a few notable entries would have to be when the country went RSD nuts – south Wales upstarts and ne’re do wells otherwise answering to the name Deathtraps played at what was a marathon of live shows all over Newport which began with Mike Peters of The Alarm playing the towns best venue the rather splendid Le Pub on the Friday night. It then spread to other venues throughout the day keeping live independent music alive and well in this corner of the world.
Also on tour in April was the splendid reformation of Thee Hypnotics who impressed Ben so much he went out and picked up a copy of their box set and Dom and Johnny also parted with some folding money for copies of their documentary when they rolled through Newport south Wales to play Le Pub (once Again). April was really hotting up as some mighty fine new bands rolled into town as part of tours to promote their new records two notable bands were Cabbage who were promoting the excellent ‘Nihilistic Glamour Shots’ and Trampolene who also played Clwb Ifor Bach and both shows were sellouts and both ended in hot sweaty messes just like the best club gigs should.
The only death to report in April would be that of Jesus Christ but that for another website and not here. Keep it RPM as we roll into May…
As I stood in the Globe, just prior to Estrons hitting the stage, I took two minutes to reflect on the live music scene. Myself prior to the last week was beginning to lose faith in the live music scene, not from the perspective of the bands who have never failed to give a 100% balls out performance, but the lack of a crowd to support them in doing so.
I’d began to despair for the bands and wonder where the next big band was coming from, to me bands have traditionally built a following live. I’d caught Janes Addiction in the back room of a hotel in Birmingham and watched them explode, I’d caught Nirvana prior to the release of Nevermind to name two and watched them hit the stratosphere.
Now over a week-long period I’d caught Zeal and Ardour destroy a sold-out Fleece, I’d seen The Interrupters get a sold out SWX dancing and now I’ve seen Estron’s deliver a sound that was too big to fit within a sold-out Globe!!!
You couldn’t have asked for a wider variety of music starting to explode out of the Underground, what did they all have in common? That little bit of something you can’t define, that star quality you can’t fake and a blinding LP to promote, Estron’s probably sat at the top of the tree with their LP “You say I’m too much, I say you’re not enough”.
So who are Estrons? They’re made up of Taliesyn “Tali” Källström on vocals
Rhodri Daniel on guitar, Steffan Pringle on bass and out of Exit_International
Adam Thomas on drums together they have crafted something that was like a breath of fresh air, defiantly different, grounded in the underground but destined to become so much bigger. I could go on and say I first caught them two years earlier supporting Bob Mould, but the band that turned up tonight were so far removed from that performance, so much more confidence, so much more power, so much more craft present you could see the miles they’ve put on really shaping them.
Opening up with possibly the most powerful tracks on the new LP “Lilac” and “Body” I could feel my smile spreading across my face (when I’d picked my jaw up off the floor), Tali the perfect focal point, reminding me at times of a young “Siouxsie” at others the singer Courtney Love had always wanted to be, I looked across to Johnny H and saw that same expression “This is something special”.
“Killing your love” and “Strangers” hard to believe moved it up a gear before the band absolutely raised the roof with blinding versions of “Make a man out of you” and “Aliens” talk about power and intensity!! Before the track of the night for yours truly “I’m not your girl” we had mosh pits, we had crowd surfing including Tali, but what we had in reality was a band that have already grown too big for this size venue, in no way did it hold down the Maelstrom of noise they’d created.
They’ve raised the bar so high for the next level of Welsh bands it will be great to watch a whole new raft of Welsh bands emulate, experiment and plough their way through a staid mainstream musical environment, very much as the Manic’s did back in the day and to see Welsh music back in the wider public eye.
You’ll be lucky to catch these guys live in intimate venues in the future, the Festival circuit will undoubtedly call, as will the large support slots and the bigger headline gigs. The Future is Welsh and led by a bunch of Misfits (Estrons)
Brand new video from yob rockers Faz Waltz and just as we lace up out boots with our thumbs in our belt loops ready its a tear jerker. Ho Hum its good regardless of expectations so why not click the link to watch the brand new hot off the press video by Faz Waltz ‘Is This The Way’.
Its the second video off of their internationally praised album “Double Decker”. This time it’s for the reflective and introspective ballad “Is This The Way”. They shot the video in their hometown of Cantu, Italy on a cold and foggy winter day. In the song, Faz Waltz asks the question we’ve all likely asked:
“Is this the way it’s supposed to be? I look at myself, what do I see? I don’t know where we are all going to go, I don’t know where everything went wrong.”
After all the touring and recording Trampolene have something of a messy yet splendid evening ahead of them at this their hometown show on the run-up to Christmas. But first tonight, they are supported by two bands that I managed to miss and I just about enter the venue in time for The Sandinistas to take to the stage and knock out their set of well, early Manics tunes if I were to describe them to somebody having never heard the band before seeing the white jeans and White Les Paul and naming yourself after a clash album might be a bit of a no-brainer for most haggard hacks and I guess the band didn’t disappoint on that front. The songs sounded decent to be fair and one or two actually had decent choruses and hooks. The band sounded tight with a really good locked in rhythm section. As was noted when the drummer fired on the snare it was very Tommy Gun like and along with the bass player they drove the songs really well. One I’d like to hear more from on record to see if they have the chops in the studio.
With a packed house, this rowdy hometown crowd are treated to a young lady playing the national anthem on her violin causing a sigh of relief as a potentially horrific Yoko moment was averted had she played on the violin whilst someone read poetry or warbled out of key over the top of it anyway with a further ten minutes but thankfully it was just the national anthem but the band took the stage some ten minutes later so the intro sort of flopped on the dancefloor that was quickly filling up with beer spillage and sweaty young men chanting.
Jack Jones climbed around the PA with his coat on and full of Tonsillitis but once he clocked the crowd his beaming smile gave him the adrenalin rush he needed after being forced to cancel a couple of shows earlier in the week and it was straight into the mele of bodies rolling across the dance floor as the band hit the crowd over the head with song after song – it might not have been their tightest performance but the energy was fantastic. ‘Under The Strobelight’ followed by ‘It’s Not Rock and Roll’, ‘Alcohol Kiss’ were all present and accounted for and sounded huge and was exactly what this audience needed to lose their pre-Christmas shit to which was nice to see them duly obliged.
By the time the band smashed into ‘Tom Hardy’, it was a beautiful racket, beer, sweat, smiles and ringing ears all around just what a club gig should be. It wasn’t all full tilt mind as one of the highlights of the evening was a magnificent performance of ‘The Gangway’ but they did save the best til last as ‘Storm Heaven’ in all its extended glory was groovetastic with the band locking into one another and just churning out that riff hypnotising and mesmerising in equal measures.
Being a Friday night and in their hometown it wouldn’t be right if Jack didn’t attempt a rendition of ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ or some other recognised Crimbo classic but in true rock n roll fashion he didn’t really know it but neither did he know his way around a verse of ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ which he dedicated to Pete Shelley who passed away the night before which was touching besides the crowd took over for the chorus then it was a final hoorah as a joyous rendition of ‘Friday I’m In Love’ and finally ‘Poundland’ before we were kicked out onto the street smiling; knowing that we’d just seen one hell of a band that even when under the weather can achieve great things and hometown shows can either bomb due to the pressure or soar as the locals carry their heroes off into the sunset over their heads tonight was the latter as Trampolene smashed it they well and truly smashed it. Next time they play locally it won’t be in this venue it simply won’t be big enough. Swansea needs nights like this. A sweaty little venue fizzing with rock n roll – awesome.
When Ginna Rhodes and Ben Marsden from The Main Grains announced they would be forming a little punk rock outfit with The Idol Dead frontman Polly, I don’t think anyone expected too much to come from it. When they subsequently announced a Pledge-funded album and recording sessions with the one and only Dave Draper (Ginger, Ryan Hamilton etc) ears pricked up…maybe they were serious after all. And left to their own devices, it’s amazing what these three have conjured up.
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