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Two For Tuesday – The Boatsmen & Autogramm

Two For Tuesday – The Boatsmen & Autogramm

pre-orders for Sweden’s The Boatsmen.  Action rock from shirtless Swedish Sailors!  Available in Europe from Ghost Highway Recordings and everywhere else from Spaghetty Town Records.

The video for the track “Born Losers”. sees Autogramm’s tongue-in-cheek brand of video making, “Born Losers” was shot and directed by Tyler McLeod on location at Sasquatch Mountain Resort in British Columbia. The video features a sasquatch, an epic backflip on skis, Kokanee beer and a banana on a shrimp platter. “Born Losers” is a song about being an outsider and finding your place in the world. The encouraging refrain of the song tells the listener, “We’re all born losers until someone lets us win, we’re all just outsiders until somebody lets us in.” The music video reinforces this narrative by portraying a story of acceptance among friends in a hilariously silly plot. Their new album ‘Music That Humans Can Play’ is available now from Stomp Records in North America and Beluga Records in Europe.

Idles: new song and tour dates

Idles: new song and tour dates

SHARE NEW SONG: “GRACE”
STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE

TAKEN FROM NEW ALBUM:
‘TANGK’
OUT 16 FEBRUARY, 2024 VIA PARTISAN RECORDS
PRODUCED BY NIGEL GODRICH, KENNY BEATS & MARK BOWEN

+ 2024 UK TOUR DATES

As they build towards the February release of their eagerly anticipated new album ‘TANGK’, the irrepressible IDLES share the new single “Grace”.

STREAM “GRACE” ON ALL SERVICES HERE

“The song came from nowhere and everything. It was a breath and a call to be held,” says Joe Talbot, “The only words or singing that came from our sessions with Nigel and I needed it, truly. All is love.”

“Grace” is a relatively slowburner by IDLES’ standards, as it takes the time to amplify the tension before detonating with a life-affirming crescendo. “No god, no king, I said love is the thing,” sings Joe Talbot, delivering IDLES’ new manifesto of love triumphing over nihilism with arguably his most soulful (yet still slightly menacing) vocal to date. As with the rest of the upcoming album, “Grace” was produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, The Smile, Beck), Kenny Beats (Denzel Curry, Vince Staples, Benee) and the band’s Mark Bowen.

Extending an explosive run of unerringly stirring albums, ‘TANGK’ is this band’s most ambitious and striking record yet, and is available to pre-order HERE. Set to be released via Partisan Records, it follows IDLES’ 2021 album ‘CRAWLER’ which led to their first two GRAMMY Award nominations.

As they began to lay the groundwork for ‘TANGK’, “Dancer” announced IDLES’ return in style, a track which blended their kinetic intensity with a new-found lascivious playfulness and was further spotlighted with guest backing vocals from LCD Soundsystem duo James Murphy and Nancy Whang.

Additionally, IDLES’ 2024 world tour has kept on expanding, including a newly announced North American tour, plus UK tour legs in July and then November / December.

See all tour dates below and visit Idlesband.com for more information.

JULY 2024 – JUST ADDED
12th – Cardiff, Castle
13th – Halifax, The Piece Hall
20th – Margate, Margate Summer Series
21st – Cornwall, The Wyldes

NOVEMBER 2024 – JUST ADDED
17th – Belfast, Telegraph
23rd – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
24th – Newcastle, O2 City Hall
25th – Nottingham, Rock City
29th – London, Alexandra Palace

DECEMBER 2024 – JUST ADDED
1st – Brighton, The Brighton Centre
3rd – Birmingham, O2 Academy
6th – Manchester, O2 Apollo
7th – Manchester, O2 Apollo

****


IDLES – NEW ALBUM: ‘TANGK’ – OUT 16 FEB 2024. PRE-SAVE HERE
LISTEN TO NEW SINGLE “GRACE” HERE

FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Thunder get set to release not one but two live albums

Thunder get set to release not one but two live albums

Among the most popular and enduring British hard rock bands of the past 25 years, Thunder are to launch two previously unreleased live albums on January 26, 2024, on earMUSIC.

Preorder Leeds Live: Here

Preorder Islington live Here


 
The first of the pair, “Live At Islington Academy”, captures the South London based band during the touring cycle of their eighth studio album, ‘Robert Johnson’s Tombstone’. The quintet had already completed a lengthy circuit of the UK in promotion of the record when they were contacted by Planet Rock Radio (UK) about the possibility of performing a set before a live audience at the station’s first annual Christmas Bash. As fun lovers of the most devoted kind, how could Thunder possibly say ‘no’?
 
A mere 800 lucky fans got the opportunity to see Thunder perform at the Planet Rock Christmas Party on December 19th, 2006. Hosted by Rob Birnie and Mark Jeeves, the event was a massive success as the band offered up a storming, surprise performance dominated by golden classics such as ‘River Of Pain’, ‘Low Life In High Places’, ‘You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down’, ‘Love Walked In’, ‘Backstreet Symphony’ and ‘I Love You More Than Rock ‘N’ Roll’, followed by a hot, sweaty encore of the hit single ‘Dirty Love’.
 
“From what I recall, no one in the audience seemed to have a clue that we would attend the party, let alone play, so they were all pretty shocked when we stepped on to the stage,” says frontman Danny Bowes. “It was boiling hot inside the venue, also freezing outside, and we worked them pretty hard. They looked pretty hot and sweaty when it was done. I reckon a fair few of the crowd must have caught colds on the way home.”


 
The second live album, “Live At Leeds” was a more official affair, recorded nine years later on March 3rd, 2015, as part of a three-date arena tour in support of ‘Wonder Days’, one of the finest studio records of Thunder’s career. In the pages of Classic Rock magazine, the late, great journalist Malcolm Dome declared: “‘Wonder Days’ a massive reminder that class is both timeless and incandescent.”
 
The resulting tour was shorter than the group’s traditional treks as it marked the first steps of public rehabilitation for Ben Matthews, the rhythm guitarist and keyboardist who was in recovery from throat cancer. Unsurprisingly, these shows were emotionally charged for both band and audience.
 
“My overriding memory of that night at the First Direct Arena in Leeds was mainly the look on Benny’s face when the audience reacted to him being back,” grins guitarist Luke Morley, who describes a first spell of his band stepping up to headline arenas in their homeland at last as “very satisfying”.
 
A 16-song set delivered a hatful of hits and no less than six numbers from ‘Wonder Days’, namely its title cut, ‘Black Water’, ‘Resurrection Day’, ‘Broken’, ‘The Thing I Want’ and ‘When The Music Played’.
 
Both concerts, “Live At Islington Academy” and “Live At Leeds”, stood as further evidence of Thunder’s prowess as live entertainers. And now at last you can re-live the experience.
 
On January 26, 2024, both concerts will become available on CD, Vinyl as well as digital download and streaming.

“From Europe with Rock: Brezno” – The Craggy Collyde Diaries

“From Europe with Rock: Brezno” – The Craggy Collyde Diaries

“From Europe with Rock: Brezno” – The Craggy Collyde Diaries

02.12.2023

Travelling to central Slovakia is a delight, especially when the country is lying under a vast expanse of snow. The drive through the mountains some way past Bratislava always fills me with an excitement that perhaps my Slovak compatriots don’t quite understand as they are well used to it by now. It is indeed particularly beautiful as the darkness begins to fall around us on the motorway towards Brezno. 

We travel through some towns we’ve already stopped in this year, such as Banská Bystrica, before arriving in Brezno (the name deriving from the Slovak word for “birch”), a pretty little town but with very little going on this Saturday night. Soon we turn up at the legendary Bombura NKP club, our venue for this evening’s entertainment. The club is based in an old liquor factory that is still run by the same family as back in the First Republic (with a break during the communist period in between). It’s certainly one of the nicest places we’ve played this year, complete with an impressive Scalextric set-up in a room out the back. The venue is owned and run by a guy called Maroš Pavúk (that’s Maros Spider to English readers), and he does a good job of it, but the whole town is certainly quiet tonight.

A friend of Veronika’s who is from the area mentioned how the good days for rock clubs are past. It can be said for so many venues in the smaller towns of these republics, but there’s always someone here who will enjoy it. And it has to be said that despite the constant hard work and complications, turning up in a small town I’ve never been to, hanging out with friends and playing music we love is a magic all of its own.

Jablko Noci are the band joining us tonight. Fronted by twins and backed up by their uncle on the drums, their music can be described as rather alternative. It’s certainly a very alternative set, largely instrumental with lots of different sounds and tech, and it’s difficult to pin them town to any particular genre. They also have another band, Večerný Motýľ, that features our very own Veronika playing percussive instruments (this includes a triangle but no cowbell). It’s interesting to consider how we will follow them but, of course, it turns out fine. People in small towns know how to drink and have a good time. We decide to run through an alternative set ourselves, playing many songs we don’t often do live, including particularly “In the Shade of the Wild Oak Tree”, which gets one couple slow dancing like it’s a school disco in 1990.  

It’s time to leave and go back to the accommodation, so we try to get the waitress to pour some beer into plastic bottles for us to take with us, only they’ve run out of beer. Tom’s hungry, but Brezno is one of those places – every kebab house and pizza place is closed before 12. Petrol station breakfast tomorrow, then.

Steelhouse announce Skindred for 2024

Steelhouse announce Skindred for 2024

Tickets

Steelhouse Festival has added a further 8 acts to its 2024 bill. Taking place over the weekend of the 26th-28th of July, it will be the Welsh festival’s 13th edition. Joining the previously announced ‘BernieFest’ opening day line-up put together in celebration of the late-great Whitesnake guitarist, and long-time friend of the festival, Bernie Marsden are headliners Skindred, and also Mr. Big. Also heading to the Steelhouse Mountain are New York alt-blues duo The Last Internationale, Canadian rockers The Commoners and American blues-guitar powerhouse Jared James Nichols. James And The Cold Gun, Creeping Jean, and Zac & The New Men represent the very best in up-and coming UK talent.

Steelhouse organisers, Max and Mikey say, “We are absolutely buzzed to welcome the mighty Skindred back for their second SH headline set. They’re at the very top of their game – a UK number 2 album, a completely sold-out UK and European tour, appearances on international mega-bills and even Jools Holland! They’re now doing their own arena shows. Everyone knows of their incendiary live performances…People, get ready, The Newport Helicopter is landing on The Steelhouse Mountain!”

They go on to say, “And what do you say about Mr. Big? Incredible musicianship, huge hits in a career that spans decades. Individually they are, quite simply legends, collectively they have always been beyond belief. It’s an absolute honour to have them with us. Once again we are looking forward to hosting our visitors – old friends and new, musicians and fans – who come from far and wide to experience the festival on the mountain-top in Wales…We’re looking forward to welcoming you all…Iechyd da!”

With the first 1000 tickets selling out immediately, the event’s Stage 2 Earlybird Tickets are available now, but not for long. Last year was the biggest Steelhouse Festival ever, and the signs are that 2024 will be even better.

Over a decade has passed since the inaugural Steelhouse in 2011, and the Festival at the top of the mountain boasts not only the best views of any UK rock event but one of the most passionate, friendly and loyal followings. With a reputation for not only bringing in the biggest and best names from the international world of Rock, Steelhouse also understands the role it can play in throwing open its prestigious stage to the best of the new breed of bands. It all adds up to a compelling mix of classic and cutting edge Rock, old and new.
 

“So, once again let’s get ready to Rocio y Mynydd / Rock the Mountain!”

Teenage Wasteland : The Who at Winterland, 1968 and 1976

<strong>Teenage Wasteland : The Who at Winterland, 1968 and 1976</strong>

Teenage Wasteland : The Who at Winterland, 1968 and 1976

By Edoardo Genzolini and Foreword by Joel Selvin

An all-access look at the legendary concerts with

firsthand accounts and previously unpublished photos

Coming February 28th, 2024 via Schiffer Publishing

Preorder Here

In February 1968 and March 1976, the Who performed shows in the same venue, almost ten years apart: San Francisco’s Winterland. Generally considered as two marginal years in the Who’s career, they are only apparently so. These two years represent a screen grab of the band taken in its purest form: live, and harder than ever, right before and right after the huge success the Who struggled to live with in the years between.

Winterland was the perfect setting to see the band live in the city that welcomed them as a second home, San Francisco. At the Who’s first Winterland show in February 1968, just a few hundred hippies turn up. In March 1976, the venue is crammed to capacity—5,000 tickets are sold. Still, as the Examiner noted, “The Who could have sold eight times as many,” since 43,000 requests for tickets were sent!

This all-access look at those two shows is a glimpse of what it was like to see the Who at Bill Graham’s legendary concert venue, and features firsthand accounts and previously unpublished photos by fans at the shows, as well as details the band behind the scenes and onstage.

Available February 28th, 2024

DETAILS:

Size: 11.0in x 8.5in

Pages: 256 | Over 520 color and b/w photos

Binding: Hardback

ISBN: 9780764367359

Gene Loves Jezabel – ‘X – Love Death Sorrow’ (Cleapatra Records)

Gene Loves Jezabel – ‘X – Love Death Sorrow’ (Cleapatra Records)

Rising from the ashes of punk South Wales brothers fused their vision of punk with gothic rock (influenced by Bowie, Reid and Iggy no doubt). Eventually they embraced American 80s radio-friendly rock. The band danced in and out of the shadows with fleeting moments of recognition from the mainstream with some hits on the charts. From the cold dark Goth roots the band fractured and had very public break ups that are visible to this day with the crazy scene of there being two versions of the band on either side of the Atlantic but the whys and wherefores of that debate might be for others,I’m here to focus on this new album and the music of Jay Aston, James Stevenson and Peter Rizzo. To be fair the trio have dished up some wonderful music on both 2017s ‘Dance Underwater’ capturing their sound perfectly from the roots of Rock and Goth and their mash up of what they’ve stood for for decades. That was 2017 so fast forward a pandemic and into the here and now and the brand new record ‘X’.

Twelve new songs, well, when I say new songs some are certainly not new songs but that will become apparent. If you’re familiar with the band and the sound they’ve turned out for many years will be up to speed with what to expect and this record doesn’t disappoint. When I say it sounds like classic Jezabel you’ll know. Its got an often lush, dreamy smooth feel with plenty of space in the music where the scene is made with broad strokes that deliver a big well rounded sound with excellent production and well-constructed songs that are played immaculatly.

The album begins with the mid-tempo ‘The Man That Time Forgot’ with its reverb dripping guitar chimes and driving bass line and Ashton’s distinguishable vocal delivery, sounding as strong as it did when they first started making records. The song flows nicely with lots going on from swirling keys to hypnotic drum beats and a wall of Stevenson guitar. One that will certainly sit nicely with long-term fans. A romantic charm and something is comforting about the pace of this album. Sure it’s safe and often warm but sometimes that’s exactly what an album needs, nothing risky or groundbreaking just doing what you do and doing it really well.

The one thing that most intrigued me about this album was it contained five cover songs including the Cures ‘In Between Days’ Edwin Collins ‘A Girl Like You’ Marianne Faithfuls ‘Broken English’ Magazines ‘The Light Pours Out Of Me’ and closing the record with the mighty Only Ones ‘Another Girl Another Planet’. What they have done here is treat the originals with respect but, they haven’t just regurgitated them with tribute-like versions instead take The Only Ones ‘Another Girl’ for example, they’ve not gone for a straight mirror version nor have they tried to be clever they’ve slowed it down and given it a ballad like treatment that has taken ownership of the song and with Jays unique vocal owned it and moved it in another direction that is engaging and enjoyable which isn’t something that’s always easy to do.

Anyway, Back into the thick of this new album the sprawling Goth rocker that is ‘Serpent Queen’ is an uptempo chest-beating rocker that brings to the fore the vital elements that made you fall in love with Gene Loves Jezebel in the first place.

Of the gentler songs on offer the atmospheric ‘Breathe Easy’ is acoustic guitars and synths painting a starry picture glued together with some great vocals to showcase James dreamy guitar breaks. The album is heavily leaning in the direction of the more Balladlike material that will take plenty of plays to fully appreciate but on initial plays, I’m impressed by the songs they’ve written and the covers they’ve reconstructed in what is a most welcome Gene Loves Jezabel record especially impressed with ‘You Can”t Hurt Me Anymore’ and the mid-tempo ‘Lone Rider’. Diolch yn fawr iawn Jay and band I’m always happy to add a new Gene Loves Jezabel album to my collection especially when it’s this good.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

The Almighty announce shows for 2024 & 2025

The Almighty announce shows for 2024 & 2025

After three phenomenal SOLD OUT performances last week, it is proudly announced that Glasgow’s finest THE ALMIGHTY will be back to play more headline shows!

The band’s original lineup of Ricky Warwick, Stumpy Monroe, Floyd London and Andy “Tantrum” McCafferty will continue the three in a row concept under the title ‘THREE ‘N’ EASY’ with shows at the end of November 2024, but also have taken the unprecedented move to also announce three more shows at the end of November 2025 at the same time!

Both runs will end at the famed Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow on November 30th each year to celebrate Scotland’s Patron Saint on St. Andrews Day.

Lead Vocalist / Guitarist Ricky Warwick: “Well what can we say … we wanted to see how the reaction was to the band reforming before deciding anything going forward and the fans last week made it a no brainer for us … we had to play more shows!  So here we are announcing two years worth of shows at once, small runs to keep it special, ending at hallowed ground each for our “annual” St. Andrews Day Party!
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who turned out in force to see us this year so on behalf of Stumpy, Floyd, Tantrum and myself, we are very honoured and proud everyone stuck with us and blew the roof off everynight … see you next year!”



The dates are as follows:
THREE ‘N’ EASY 2024 
Thursday 28th November 2024 – CAMBRIDGE, Corn Exchange
Friday 29th November 2024 – WOLVERHAMPTON, KK’s Steel Mill 
Saturday 30th November 2024 – GLASGOW, Barrowland Ballroom


THREE ‘N’ EASY 2025 
Friday 28th November 2025 –  PORTSMOUTH, Guildhall
Saturday 29th November 2025 – NOTTINGHAM, Rock City 
Sunday 30th November 2025 – GLASGOW, Barrowland Ballroom

Special guests on all shows to be announced.


Tickets go on general sale for all shows Wednesday December 13th at 10am 
Glasgow tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Whilst Cambridge, Wolverhampton, Portsmouth & Nottingham tickets 
are from www.myticket.co.uk

Black Bombers pay ‘The Price’

Black Bombers pay ‘The Price’

Birmingham proto-punks BLACK BOMBERS have unveiled a new video from their forthcoming new album.

‘The Price’ casts a withering eye over the antics of the UK government, particularly with regard to their handing of the Covid pandemic.

Coincidentally, the video drops on the same day that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson appeared before the official Covid Inquiry.

“The running of the country seemed like a game show,” says guitarist and vocalist Alan Byron. “Matt Hancock appearing on reality TV months after the song was penned only seemed to confirm that. A huge part of the population seeming blind to the culling of the most vulnerable – and of the VIP lane making obscene amounts of money out of PPE.

“On a personal level the band lost several loved ones, parents, life-long friends, and had to deal with all the restrictions around hospital visiting and funerals – basically, following all the rules that, in time, we found the lawmakers were breaking themselves. ‘The Price’ expresses all of that anger and frustration.”

The single is drawn from the quartet’s second album Vive La Révolution, their first album to feature new lead guitarist Steve Crittall, formerly of The Godfathers and the UK Subs. The album was produced and mixed by Crittall and Alex McGowan (Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind, Urban Voodoo Machine) at Space Eko East Studios in East London and follows on from 2019’s mini-album Volume 4.

Out on 26 January through Easy Action, ‘Vive La Révolution’ is available to pre-order here.

Black Bombers play The Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham on Sunday 10 December with Desperate Measures.

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Ruts DC – Tour and new video

Ruts DC – Tour and new video

www.rutsdc.com

Fresh and fighting fit from a lengthy European tour, Ruts DC return this month with an extensive December tour and a new video for ‘Faces In The Sky’, the opening track from last years acclaimed ‘Counterculture?’ album.

“The video captures the intention of the song,” says bassist and singer John ‘Segs’ Jennings. “It’s the paranoia of these modern times. The lyric reads, ‘How can we tear the dream from a lie?’ – Beware the tech you wish for.”

The video perfectly compliments the songs sense of foreboding and dread, yet like all great Ruts DC compositions, it’s defiant and bold in its lyrical and musical approach. 

Always a thrilling live band, Ruts DC will be ending 2023 with a run of dates in December, displaying once again their impeccable musicianship and endless back-catalogue of rousing anthems.  

Catch Ruts DC on tour this month at the following dates:

December:

7th           Colchester, Arts Centre (*Support from The Duel)

8th           Dublin, The Workman’s Club

9th           Belfast, Voodoo

10th         London, The Garage (*Support from The Duel)

13th         Leeds, Brudenell Social Club

14th         Glasgow, Oran Mor

15th        Edinburgh, Mash House

16th         Manchester, The Ritz

17th         Nottingham, Rescue Rooms

19th         Exeter, Phoenix (*Support from The Duel)

20th         Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach (*Support from The Duel)

21st         Southampton, The 1865 (*Support from The Duel)

22nd        Guildford, Suburbs @The Holyroyd (*Support from The Duel)

23rd         Bristol, Thekla (*Support from The Duel)

More supports to be announced.

Tickets and venue info at: rutsdc.com