As today is Monday RPM likes to send you on your way back to work with three awesome songs and videos. We’ve got three bangers starting with this beaut from Razorbats, ‘This High’ was released a few years ago and with footage taken at Slugfest its as glam as it gets and there are plenty of handsome RPM chaps in the audience.
Second up is the recent Beach Slang track ‘I Hate Alternative Rock’ A new song by a band who’ve never made a bad record.
Finally, a brand new video from Kyle Craft & Showboat Honey with ‘2 Ugly 4 NY’ their forthcoming new album ‘Showboat Honey’ will be available worldwide July 12th, 2019 from Sub Pop. Great video and tune.
Brett Smiley was a singer-songwriter from America who was as glam rock as David Johanson and Marc Bolan and in the 70’s he had one single (‘Va Va Va Voom’) and one album that quickly vanished and is now the price of a small island if you want a copy on CD (‘Breathlessly Brett’) It was recorded in the mid ’70s but released in the early 2000’s he was once taken under the wing of Andrew Loog Oldham and the rest is history (albeit feint obscure History) well RSD tends to throw up a few curveballs from the box of records kept under the stairs and 2019 threw up ‘Sunset Towers’ – A collection of Eight songs recorded by Smiley before Oldman got hold of him this was recordings captured at Cherokee Studios in the Valley (also used by Bowie) what we have here is eight classic slabs of original first wave Glam rock plain and simple. Great tunes camp as Christmas proper glam rock – brickies in platform silver boots and feather boas it’s a moment caught in time.
Only a few of the tracks made it onto the ‘Breathlessly Brett’ album and to be fair they aren’t the standout tracks here which makes it all the more puzzling how and why Brett wasn’t more well known. To be honest it was 2004, Nina Antonia’s book about Smiley, ‘The Prettiest Star: Whatever Happened to Brett Smiley’ that made me dig into who he was and his sad story. Smiley performed until 2015 in New York City and was recording songs for a new CD. He sadly died on January 8, 2016, after a lengthy battle with HIV and hepatitis but thanks to things like RSD we get to revel in his legacy and wonderful silky smooth voice. Whilst I said the music is classic glam his voice is wonderful take the Stonesy rip off of ‘Highty Tighty’ You’ll hear the melody and Stones influence which is always cool. There’s the Bowie/Bolan swagger of ‘Abstracted Billy’.
You also have the pomp and Mott like ‘Space Ace’ with its drug-addled lyrics which I’m sure at the time would have seemed wild and out there. There are lyrics and delivery phrases here that remind me of Marc Almond something that crops up several times throughout the record to be fair. I love ‘Queen Of Hearts’ it’s so dramatic it’s like a light to Lou Reeds Shade.
‘Lying In The Sun’ sounds like a demo compared to the previous tracks and the unproduced nature is warming and engaging and to be fair the exact same could be said for the final offering of ‘Diamonds Couldn’t Bring You Back’ which has a certain Johnny Thunders quality to it and seems like the perfect way to end the record. I do hope that the quality of songs he was working on as late as 2015 surface and follow on from these recordings and we one day get to hear them. Rest In Peace Brett Smiley your star burned brightly if only for a new york minute and I’m glad it got captured on record. It might not be the greatest Glam Rock record ever made but its quality and if you like Mott The Hoople, Bowie, Reed, Bolan, the Dolls then fill yer boots this is a keeper. If you can pick one of these up before they cost a fortune.
Hi Everybody:
I know there has been some curiosity, speculation and, yes, rumor about why I haven’t been Rampaging songs on FB or, more importantly, out on tour promoting my book “There’s No Bones in Ice Cream” and playing in a town near YOU.
First the BAD news: For about a year now, I have been battling cancer.
Then the GOOD news: I have an upcoming surgery with a great doctor that may do the TRICK. There will, however, be a somewhat lengthy recovery period (at least a year). I have not been able to work since last year and have more surgery scheduled. I love life! As hard as life has been to me these past 2 years I want to live and I know with your love & support I’ll have the best chance that I could ever have,
Love
Sylvain Sylvain
Please, if you can click the link below at Sylvains Go Fund Me Page –
In the week Iggy turned 72 he announced he’d be reissuing the long deleted ‘Zombie Birdhouse’ which will come out on 28th June pre-orders Here
It wasn’t a great shock seeing as ‘The Villagers’ was picked as a RSD single this year. Maybe it’ll also see Iggy finally release some of the albums he made that never got onto vinyl finally get a vinyl release off the back of the interest in this.
The Dahmers are heading out on the European roads to support The Dwarves.
As a warm-up, they bring us a brand new video!
“DEMON NIGHT…IT’S ALRIGHT!
Oh boy, check out our brand new thriller.
A stop motion nightmare of the song “Demon Night” from our latest album “Down in the Basement”.
– The Dahmers
Tour Dates:
2/5 – Grand – Malmö, SWE
13/6 – Kraken – Stockholm, SWE *
14/6 – Røverstaden – Oslo, NO *
15/6 – Musikens Hus – Gothenburg, SWE *
16/6 – Underwerket – Copenhagen, DK *
18/6 – Patronaat – Haarlem, NL *
19/6 – Club Vaudeville – Lindau, GER *
12/7 – Midnight Light Festival – Vilhelmina, SWE
The Alarm release new video featuring the fretwork of Billy Duffy of the Cult. The track is taken from the band’s new album ‘Sigma’ released On 28th June, The Alarm will release the new album ∑ Sigma, exactly one year and one day after the release of its prequel = Equals. ∑ Sigma can be pre-ordered at the bands website
Keeping busy Peters and his band head out across America with Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel and post punkers Modern English.
SIGMA LXXXV TOUR
July 17 — Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge – TICKETS *The Alarm only
July 19 — Austin, TX @ 3Ten Live – TICKETS
July 20 — Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey – TICKETS
July 21 — Oklahoma City, OK @ Tower Theater – TICKETS
July 24 — Las Vegas, CA @ House of Blues – TICKETS
July 25 — San Diego, CA @ House of Blues – TICKETS
July 26 — Temecula, CA @ Wiens Family Cellars – TICKETS
July 27 — Los Angeles, CA @ Microsoft Theater – TICKETS *FESTIVAL – The Alarm Set Time T.B.D. July 31 — Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theatre – TICKETS
Aug. 2 — San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom – TICKETS Aug. 3 — Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades – TICKETS Aug. 5 — Portland, OR @ Aladdin – TICKETS
Aug. 6 — Seattle, WA @ Triple Door – SOLD OUT
Aug. 7 — Spokane, WA @ Bing Crosby Theater – TICKETS
Aug. 8 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex TICKETS (The Alarm/Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel Only)
Aug. 9 — Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater – TICKETS
Aug. 10 — Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall – TICKETS
Aug. 12 — St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall – TICKETS
Aug. 14 — Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line – TICKETS
Aug. 15 — Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Ballroom – TICKETS
Aug. 16 — Chicago, IL @ House of Blues – TICKETS
Aug. 17 — Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall – TICKETS
Aug. 18 — Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues – TICKETS
Aug. 20 — Portland. ME @ Aura – TICKETS
Aug. 21 — Boston, MA @ Paradise – TICKETS
Aug, 23 — Huntington, NY @ The Paramount – TICKETS
Aug. 24 — Jim Thorpe, PA @ Penn’s Peak – TICKETS
Aug. 25 — Falls Church, VA @ State Theatre TICKETS
Aug. 29 — Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes – TICKETS
Aug. 30 — Staten Island, NY @ St George Theatre – TICKETS
Aug. 31 — Philadelphia, PA @ Keswick Theater – TICKETS Sep. 1 — Norfolk, VA @ NorVa – TICKETS
Sep. 3 — Charlotte, NC @ Neighbourhood Theater – TICKETS
Sep. 4 — Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade – TICKETS
Sep. 5 — Orlando, FL @ The Social – TICKETS (coming soon) (The Alarm/Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel Only)
Sep. 6 — Bonita Springs, FL @ Southwest Florida Event Centre TICKETS
Sep. 7 — Miami, FL @ The Ground at Club Space – TICKETS
Sep. 8 — St. Petersburg, FL @ Ferg’s Concert Courtyard – TICKETS (coming soon)
With 2019 being the 40th anniversary of Venom, it’s well worth noting that it’s also the 10th anniversary of the band’s current line-up of Cronos (vocals and bass), Rage (guitar) and Dante (drums). Their recently released ‘Storm The Gates’ album is the band’s fifteenth to be bursting out with metal of the non-more black variety and thanks to a huge (very limited edition) Venom LP box set and 2 disc career retrospective being on the fire stoked horizon Spinefarm Records are giving this 13 tracker another push right now, which is great for me as this release somehow totally passed me by when it originally hit the shelves back in January of this year.
Which is something I can’t help but feel a bit annoyed with myself about really, simply because Venom are a band that not only reinvented heavy metal but also birthed a bazillion other subgenres, so why aren’t they lauded as all-conquering heroes and afforded multiple page tributes by the metal press like Motorhead always were every time they release a new record…and I then don’t end up missing them?”
Now there’s some food for thought eh?
In fact that Motorhead parallel is even more prevalent once you get to hear ‘Storm The Gates’ because just like what Lemmy did with the Mikkey and Phil line up, Cronos and Venom are doing pretty much the same here, by making some of the best full throttle black metal rackets they have made since their early to mid ‘80s heyday.
Opener ‘Bring Out Your Dead’ is an absolute barnstormer of a track with Cronos rattling his r’s over a pounding rhythm designed to get the heads banging and which seamlessly sets up the full on metal grind of ‘Notorious’ a track that sees Rage out Mantasing the band’s former guitar ninja with his use of the divebombing whammy bar, and the goodies don’t stop there either. ‘Dark Night (Of The Soul)’ is a fierce metal fist to the face as is the album’s title track ‘Storm The Gates’ a track that I can just see a pumped up Cronos stood arms folded 50 hole Dr Martins akimbo commanding his Legions to do his bidding in the live setting.
As a long-time fan of the band I have to admit I do find the flat out and nowt else approach the band take to their songwriting these days more than just a little relentless at times. So, for those of us who might still long an all new ‘At War With Satan’ or perhaps even a 21st century ‘Buried Alive’ you will not find anything remotely like that on ‘Storm The Gates’. In fact, tracks like ‘Over My Dead Body’ and ‘The Mighty Have Fallen’ are perhaps the most brutal the band have ever sounded, largely thanks to the superb almost out of control freight train drumming of Dante and the razor-sharp riffing of Rage.
‘Storm The Gates’ then is the sound of Venom heavier and angrier than ever before, I just hope that with this being such a special year for the band they finally get the credit and recognition they so rightly deserve as a truly ground-breaking metal band especially here in the UK where late-afternoon slots at Bloodstock aside we’re lucky to get to see them live at all.
Dizzy Reed drops a brand new video for the title track of his 2018 solo album ‘Rock n Roll Aint Easy’. Still available through the label Golden Robot Records on vinyl, CD and digital platforms.
To help promote the album Reed and the label thought it was about time they made a video for ‘Rock N Roll Ain’t Easy’
Christmas comes but once a year but we know different as those noisemakers from Europe have unleashed a brand new video for ‘Sex Sells’. when Max asked us if we’d be interested in showing it to you good people with taste, of course, it was a no brainer so here it is’ Christmas ‘Sex Sells’ top tune and video
British hard rock five-piece The Treatment have new video for ‘Hang Them High’
“Power Crazy” is the band’s fourth full-length album and continues their successful formula of coupling sonic power with a taste for infectious riffs. With this record, The Treatment are firing on all cylinders with their slice of no frills hard rock. A quick listen will instantly reveal the essential ingredients of a classic hard rock album: riffs, huge choruses, catchy licks, and straight to the point songs.
“Power Crazy” is also The Treatment’s first album to feature new singer Tom Rampton. With his raspy voice reminiscent of the classic Bon Scott tone, you can rest assured he knows how to ride high on the guitar attack from guitarists Tao and Tagore Grey.
“We believe this record is a strong statement from the band and we look forward to playing the new songs live. We will be touring throughout 2019 and can’t wait to see all you Treatment troops at our shows next year,” says the band.
To coincide with the release of “Power Crazy”, The Treatment recently embarked on a co-headline UK tour with Airrace and will hit the road in the UK once again in May on the headlining “Power Crazy Tour” with special guests Bigfoot.
The Treatment are renowned for their high energy live show. The band have toured with the likes of Alice Cooper, Steel Panther, Thin Lizzy, Kiss, Motley Crüe, and Slash as well as gracing the stages at Download and Hellfest festivals, amongst others.
“Power Crazy Tour” with special guests Bigfoot
Wed 22ndMay 2019 The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
Thurs 23rdMay 2019 Hanger 18, Swansea
Fri 24thMay 2019 The Underworld, London TICKETS HERE
Sat 25thMay 2019 The Waterfront, Norwich
Mon 27thMay 2019 The Portland, Cambridge TICKETS HERE
Wed 29thMay 2019 Corporation, Sheffield
Thurs 30thMay 2019 Rebellion, Manchester TICKETS HERE
Fri 31stMay 2019 Stereo, Glasgow TICKETS HERE
Sat 1stJune 2019 The Brickyard, Carlisle
Sun 2ndJune 2019 The Cluny, Newcastle TICKETS HERE
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