The Libertines are delighted to announce the release of a wonderful new song, a Shakespearean tale of blood and revenge, entitled Night of The Hunter, which is taken from the band’s forthcoming fourth studio album, All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade.
Peter and Carl discuss Night Of The Hunter:
Peter“We got the title from Charles Laughton’s directorial debut Night Of The Hunter starring Robert Mitchum as a preacher with ‘LOVE’ and ‘HATE’ tattooed on his knuckles. The song’s about not staying ahead of the law. This fella doesn’t really know why his mate’s dead, but he’s got a feeling his mate had it coming to him. He fucked with the wrong people, and he stole something he shouldn’t have, and he got stabbed. So, he’s angry and hurt and he has to go and get revenge, so he does and that’s it for him, basically. Once he has stabbed the lad who stabbed his mate, that’s it for him. He lashed out in revenge and he knows they’re coming to get him and he’s not even going to try and run because he knows he’ll just be running forever.
Carl“I started writing a riff and it ended up sounding a bit like Swan Lake, and everyone went, ‘Yeah!’ Then we got Peter’s theremin player in which took about a day to get in tune, then he played that sequence and it worked beautifully.”
“The idea of getting carted off for ten years is horrendous… the condemned man dies 1000 times.”
All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade, The Libertines’ first new album in nine years, is released on 8th March ’24 through EMI and isavailable to preorder here: https://TheLibertines.lnk.to/AQOTEEPR
All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade features eleven new Libertines songs and was produced by Grammy-nominated producer Dimitri Tikovoï (The Horrors/Charli XCX/Becky Hill) and recorded at The Albion Rooms in Margate. Recorded in just four weeks earlier this year during February and March and finished over seven days at La Ferme de Gestein Studios in Normandy, with additional production and mixed by Dan Grech-Marguerat (Lana Del Rey/Liam Gallagher/Paul McCartney).
All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade will be available on CD, deluxe CD, 12” vinyl in limited edition coloured variants, deluxe double vinyl cassette and digital download.
The Libertines are Peter Doherty – vocals/guitar, Carl Barât – vocals/guitar, John Hassall – bass guitar and Gary Powell– drums. The band have released three albums: Up The Bracket (2002); The Libertines (2004); and Anthems For Doomed Youth (2015).
The Libertines play the following club shows over the next three months, all of which sold out within minutes of going on sale.
SLAM DUNK // WINTER JAM TOUR – JANUARY 2024 & Angry Side headline tour in April & May
Following their most successful, mostly sold out UK tour to date throughout October and November, MILLIE MANDERS AND THE SHUTUP have now been invited to join the SLAM DUNK WINTER JAM TOUR in January 2024 alongside Zebrahead, Teenage Bottle Rocket and [Spunge].
Championed by the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show, Vive Le Rock, Kerrang, Radio X and many others, the band have released two new singles this year – Rebound and Shut Your Mouth – as a prelude to their second album, scheduled for release in 2024.
With their dynamic sound and candid lyrics, the band explores themes such as loss, betrayal, anxiety, heartbreak, environmental concerns and political unrest, all while exuding the punk attitude and the prowess that sets them apart.
Millie Manders and The Shutup have built a strong reputation through their live shows and versatile discography, including their debut album Telling Truths, Breaking Ties and the hugely popular cover of the massive Little Mix global hit Sweet Melody. Their live performances have graced such notable festival stages as Slam Dunk, Bearded Theory, North West Calling, Rebellion, Kendal Calling and Boomtown, and they’ve previously supported the likes of Less Than Jake and Ferocious Dog on tour.
Beyond their music, the band’s commitment to sustainability and charity is always evident, prioritising eco-friendly merchandise and raising funds for charitable causes through limited edition artwork and clothing sales. With their dedication to making a positive impact in the music industry, Millie Manders and The Shutup continue to be a vital voice in the burgeoning cross-genre punk scene.
Fresh off the back of a hugely successful UK tour throughout the autumn with several sold out shows, London based cross-genre punk band MILLIE MANDERS AND THE SHUTUP have announced their ANGRY SIDE TOUR for April and May 2024.
Powerhouse lead vocalist Millie says of the forthcoming Angry Side single from the album: “Angry Side is about teenage angst, and I am so excited to bring that energy with us to stages around the UK.”
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes have announced their new album ‘Dark Rainbow’ for release on 26th January 2024.
The band are also sharing the album’s lead single “Man of the Hour”, which was given its airplay debut by Clara Amfo on her BBC Radio 1 Future Sounds show last night.
New single “Man of the Hour” makes it clear that we are entering into a whole new era for The Rattlesnakes. Self-evaluation and reflection are very much on the agenda throughout ‘Dark Rainbow‘, and they pave the way for a sound that puts southern gothic balladry and crooning alt-rock to the front. A sonic evolution and emotional complexity powers this soul-searching expedition that reaches into the very heart of identity and pulls from it the wisdom that can only come from lived experience. The lyrics to “Man of the Hour” question the idea of rock stardom and where it fits in 2023, recognising a character that we all could, to our own detriment, be or aspire to. Singer Frank Carter elaborates:
“We talk about how rock and roll will never die, but we never really talk about how maybe the idea of the rock star should die. The whole concept and what it means has always been this glamorised moment, but ultimately when I put that suit on, it didn’t go very well for me.”
“I’m just witnessing the world change so quickly and I’m still trying to come to terms with who I am and what the authentic version of me is. By giving people what I thought they wanted I think I got further and further away from who I actually am.”
Hear new single “Man of the Hour” on streaming services here and watch the video directed by Ruth Hundumahere.
The last time that many UK fans will have witnessed the band will have been at their sold-out Alexandra Palace show in London, or on the mainstages at Download and Reading & Leeds festivals, or headlining this summer’s 2000 Trees Festival. In the wake of ‘Dark Rainbow’’s release in January, the band will also be embarking on their biggest tour to date as they announce details of headline shows through the UK for 2024.
Fans can now pre-order the album for access to pre-sales.
All tickets will be on sale from Friday 6th October at 10am local time from the band’s website here.
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes UK Tour 2024
06 Feb – The Great Hall, Cardiff, UK 07 Feb – O2 Academy, Bristol, UK 09 Feb – Academy, Manchester, UK 10 Feb – Northumbria Uni Student’s Union, Newcastle, UK 11 Feb – Barrowland, Glasgow, UK 13 Feb – O2 Academy, Leeds, UK 14 Feb – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, UK 15 Feb – Roundhouse, London, UK 16 Feb – Roundhouse, London, UK
‘What A F*cking Nightmare’ – Due Out 9th February 2024 via Pure Noise Records pre-order: Here
Upcoming US, UK, EU Shows -Dates w/ Madball, Scowl, Sunami, Home Front, and More
Pic : Gavin Watson
The Chisel are back! The punk rabble-rousers have returned with the announcement of their highly anticipated new album, What A F*cking Nightmare, due out February 9th from Pure Noise Records. Recorded by John Atkinson and produced by Jonah Falco (Chubby & The Gang, High Vis, Home Front) the album is a high energy blend of Oi! hooks and hardcore stomp that’s sure to please fans of all things loud and catchy.
To celebrate the announcement of What A F*cking Nightmare, The Chisel have shared its lead single, “F*ck ‘Em.” The livewire track follows previous single “Cry Your Eyes Out” (which drew attention from the likes of Stereogum, BrooklynVegan, and more, and will also appear on the new album), and highlights the band’s ability to channel catchiness and ferocity in equal measure. Vocalist Cal Graham discussed the new song saying, “the song’s about people who talk but don’t have much to say: gobshites and over-opinionated knobheads.”
What A F*cking Nightmare is due out 9th February 2024 via Pure Noise Records.
Upcoming Shows: 7th December London, UK @ The George Tavern (album announce show)
26th January New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom + 27th-28th January Baltimore, MD @ Disturbin’ The Peace 27th January Baltimore, MD @ Metro Baltimore (Disturbin’ The Peace Aftershow)
1st February Leeds, UK @ Key Club * 2nd February Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny 2 * 3rd February Edinburgh, UK @ The Wee Red * 4th February Manchester, UK @ Star & Garter * 5th February Birmingham, UK @ The Flapper * 9th February Cambridge, UK @ Portland Arms * 10th February St Albans, UK @ The Horn * 11th February Brighton, UK @ Green Door Store * 16th February Southhampton, UK @ The Joiners * 17th February Bristol, UK @ Exchange * 18th February Cardiff, UK @ The Globe * 23rd February Turnbridge Wells, UK @ Forum * 24th February London, UK @ 100 Club * 25th February Nottingham, UK @ The Bodega *
29th February Drachten, NL @ Iduna ^ 1st March Essen, DE @ Westadthalle ^ 2nd March Valenciennes, FR @ Salle Des Nympheas ^ 3rd March Maastricht, NL @ Muziekgieterij ^ 4th March Strasbourgh, FR @ La Laiterie ^ 5th March Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof ^ 6th March Munchen, DE @ Backstage ^ 7th March Ostrava, CZ @ Barrak Music Club ^ 8th March Warzawa, PL @ Proxima ^ 9th March Dresden, DE @ Tante Ju ^ 10th March Berlin, DE @ Astra Kulturhaus ^
Once in a Lifetime Performance Features Special Guests including Alison Mosshart (The Kills), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols), and Tony Kanal (No Doubt) Buy Here
A spectacular special event, immortalised for the big screen; legendary punk icon, Billy Idol, makes history by playing the first ever concert in front of the world famous Hoover Dam. Kicking off his sell-out 2023 North American spring and summer tour, the once in a lifetime performance, which illuminated the surrounding Black Canyon of the Colorado River and the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, features a career-spanning run of chart-topping hits including ‘Dancing with Myself’, ‘Eyes Without a Face’, ‘Rebel Yell’ and ‘White Wedding’. One of the most recognisable faces and voices of rock’n’roll, with over 40 million album sales, and numerous platinum albums worldwide, the hell-raising rock star is joined on stage by his longtime band including his collaborator and lead guitarist of over 40 years, Steve Stevens, with special guest stars including The Kills’ Alison Mosshart, former Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, and No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal.
PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT TO PLAY HEADSTOCK MENTAL HEALTH FUNDRAISER AT MANCHESTER STAR & GARTER – THE HOME OF THE IAN CURTIS MURAL
The intimate event will include a Q&A with Peter Hook plus a Joy Division set with his band
The Star & Garter is home to the stunning mural of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis
Tickets to the exclusive event will be allocated via a ticket ballot on ticketing site Skiddle
Proceeds from ticket sales will support Shout, the mental health text support charity
Music & Mental Wellbeing Festival, Headstock, has announced that Peter Hook & The Light will play a one-off mental health fundraising event on Friday 12 April 2024 at Manchester Star & Garter, one of the city’s best loved independent live music venues.
pic: Mark L Hill
Peter Hook & The Light: An Evening of Music & Conversation will see the legendary Joy Division and New Order bassist take part in a hosted Q&A to discuss his time with Joy Division as well as his close friendship with Ian Curtis. Later in the evening, Peter will be joined on stage by his band to play a Joy Division set for just 200 lucky fans.
Proceeds from this special Headstock event will go to support mental health charity Shout. The gig will also take place in memory of Ian Curtis who tragically lost his life to suicide in May 1980.
Arguably one of the most influential and pioneering bands of all time, Joy Division was a post-punk rock band formed in Salford in 1976 by Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner, with Ian Curtis and Stephen Morris joining shortly after.
This year (2023) Joy Division received an inaugural nomination into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside iconic, globally renowned artists and bands such as Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, George Michael and Rage Against The Machine.
Peter Hook & The Light have announced a special one-off event at the intimate (200 capacity) Star & Garter in Manchester on Friday 12 April 2024 to raise funds for the mental health charity Shout.
The evening will see a hosted Q&A session with the legendary Joy Division and New Order bassist and a full live set of Joy Division songs with his band. Given the limited capacity of the venue, tickets will be allocated via a ballot launched on Skiddle.
Peter Hook says: “I have campaigned for a long time for Ian and Joy Division to be commemorated anyway and anywhere possible. From the statue in Macclesfield – still ongoing – to the mural in Macclesfield, to the mural in Manchester and the upcoming one in Stockport. I will only rest when every town in Great Britain has something.
“I am immensely proud of Ian and our work as Joy Division, and to celebrate it in this way is such a pleasure. I am hoping to bring Ian’s best man at his wedding and childhood friend Kevin Briggs to join me, so fans can get a real insight into this wonderful man and artist. To play at such an iconic venue as the Star & Garter just seals the deal perfectly.”
Given the limited capacity of the venue (200) tickets will be allocated via a ballot to be launched on Skiddle from Monday 4 December 2023 at https://skiddle.com/e/37141791 and will remain open until Friday 2 February 2024. Each successful ballot entrant will be allocated two tickets to the event.
Pricing for the ticket ballot as follows:
1 x ballot entry = £10
3 x ballot entries = £15
10 x ballot entries = £20
Money raised via the ticket ballot will go to support Shout’s free and confidential 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.
Atheer Al-Salim, founder of Headstock, said: “We are so grateful to Peter Hook and his band who are giving up their time and talent to help us raise much needed funds to support our charity partner Shout and their life-saving text support service. The evening promises to be a poignant moment for Manchester, and an event of huge musical and cultural significance for the city.”
Victoria Hornby, CEO of Shout, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Peter Hook & The Light and Headstock for putting on this very special event which will raise vital funds for us to keep the Shout text messaging support service running 24/7. Our volunteers take up to 2,000 conversations with children, young people and adults in urgent need of mental health support every day, and every £10 raised funds a conversation that could save a life.”
The Grade II listed Star & Garter is home to the recently reinstated mural of Peter Hook’s former Joy Division bandmate Ian Curtis, which was unveiled ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day in September 2023. The event at the Star & Garter – which has also hosted bands such as Courteeners, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and Bring Me The Horizon – is taking place seven months after the stunning mural of Ian Curtis was completed by renowned Manchester street artist Akse.
The mural is based on a photograph of Ian Curtis taken by Belgian photographer Phillipe Carly and depicts the Joy Division front man shortly before the release of the band’s second album, Closer, and on the eve of their first North American tour.
ABOUT HEADSTOCK: Headstock is a Manchester-based social enterprise that works to create music-led solutions to raise money and awareness for mental health charities. Through the power of music and shared experiences, their goal is to create change by changing the conversation around mental health. Headstock launched in October 2019 and was initially set up as a direct response to the disproportionate level of mental health issues across greater Manchester and the North West.
ABOUT SHOUT 85258: Shout is the UK’s first and only free and confidential 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. Shout launched publicly in May 2019 and has since had more than 1.7 million conversations with people who are anxious, stressed, depressed, suicidal or overwhelmed and who need in-the-moment support. As a digital service, Shout became increasingly critical during Covid-19, being one of the few mental health support services able to operate as normal at that time.
It’s not often I get excited about hearing a new album these days so cynical and jaded one can often feel when hearing so much new music (and old) but I did get a little flutter of the pulse when I saw that The Loveless had actually completed a full album of material and pre-sales were available through the Cadiz website. so as the saying goes a fool can often be parted with their money and I clicked the purchase button.
The band has previously released two very limited edition EPs which feature some of the songs featured on this thirteen-track album. The album kicks off in a raunchy style with an original composition ‘Wild In The Streets’ and their credentials are laid bare and the cards are on the table. X has form and once played with punks legendry icon Stiv Bator before his untimely death but will be most known for being an integral member of 80s punks Sigue Sigue Sputnik as well as playing with Adam Ant. It should also come as no surprise that Almond has a history of post-punk even when his pop career took off as the vocalist for Soft Cell but this Bowie, Iggy & Reid-influenced garage rock adventure is a fresh and vibrant romp through the late 60s and 70s garage rock genre from the covers they take ownership of and the original songs they insert through this love letter to good time underground Garage/glam rock.
‘Wild In The Streets’ is the perfect uptempo opener and showcasing Almond and X’s songwriting and their love of some loud, raw guitars and all things sleazy Rock n Roll. ‘Putty In Your Hands’ is a groovy bubblegum blowing hypnotic slice of Rock n Roll. It’s the zipped up, collars-turned-up leather jacket we all wish we could pull off whilst leaning on the jukebox whilst chewing on a lucky strike, no filter of course. There’s more to these cats than just being a covers band, to be fair even if they were they’re one formidable and cool covers band. Having Iggy’s rhythm section along for the ride adds yet more authenticity and throw a guest appearance from Glen Matlock on ‘Pills’ and you have a covers band that knows a thing or two about garage punk n roll and they are cooking on gas and we’re only halfway through side one.
Their take on The Sorrows ‘Take A Heart’ perfectly suits Almond’s vocal style and to be fair running through The Kinks ‘I’m Not Like Anybody Else’ is a smokey and exceptional take and rather than going for a better know song from the Davies catalogue they’ve chosen well. The last track on side one is the smouldering slow burner ‘Dark Side’ that suits Almond’s crooner persona but the beauty is in the guitar breaks that pepper the track like shooting stars in a misty evening sky lighting up everything beneath it showcasing a band who are right on the money and in love with what they do adding authenticity and star quality to a fantastic side of music.
Flipping it over side two begins with another Almond and Neil X composition ‘Nothing At All’ and then a few cover tracks the first culled from their previously released EP ‘Hot Hard & Ready’ before chasing through another Alice Cooper band track the fantastic ‘Under My Wheels’ but then they delve into the 13th Floor Elevator Roky Erickson track ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’ again pure garage rock goldust. In a moment of clarity and pardon my ignorance, but, the trippy take of ‘Shape Of Things To Come’ ties it all together in a homer moment because the original is from this fictional band Max Frost and the Troopers taken from the movie ‘Wild In The Streets’. There you go for anyone else (like me) who might be a bit slow on the intake. which only leaves ‘I’ll Be Gone’ and we’re out of here and a thoroughly enjoyable and authentic record is done and dusted and their love of the music shines through and infects anyone within listening distance of the speakers. What a way to draw 2023 to a close than with a really enjoyable Rock n Roll record that makes me warm and happy whilst a tip of the hat to the past and fist bump to the future we should never forget where we’ve come from and thanks to records like this we won’t – to the songwriters they’ve chosen to represent so well and who helped shape this record I thank because The Loveless just became my Christmas party album for 2023. Buy It!
Album number three for these North American synth punks or should that be punx? Taking advantage of the pandemic to strengthen their numbers from three to four. Heavy on the power pop and expanding the sound Autogramm embrace the old wave New Wave if you know what I mean. Sure it’s tubeway army for the 21st century mixed in with a healthy dose of Buggles and The Cars. But let’s not forget these guys come from the punk rock backwaters and that grounding has served them well as they’ve taken the attitude into the modern age and embraced different instruments and how punk rock can be played. they once released ‘No Rules’ and they certainly apply that to their music. Instead of being tied to one style of post-punk or another, they embrace it all and turn it into something clearly defined as Autogramm.
The album opens with the 80s synth-pop of ‘Born Losers’ that breaks out into a real 80s crowd pleaser and is unashamedly dripping with pop played with guitars and synths and nailing their flag to the mast of the jocks target in high school but the chicks know these cats got the cream. The first single is the excellent ‘WannaBe’ with its barking synth guitar throb championing being who or whatever you want to be and as the song twists and turns from the sparse bass throb to the lush harmonies it is a real earworm and one I highly recommend playing at volume. Man, there are moments on this record that take me back to when Gary Numan was the real deal with his pencil leather tie and the synth run on ‘Why Do We Dance’ leads us into one of those Devo meets Cars tunes. Robotic and cool but with some snot on their sleeves and a bit of edge in the vocal delivery.
One thing I get the more I play the record is how good it makes me feel. I love the guitar chops on ‘Love Is For Fools’ It’s such a ray of sunshine and it’s infectious stuff. ‘Plastic Punx’ was one of the videos that was released before the album came out and it’s an energetic romp through synth punk rock so don your funky shades curl your lip up and let’s pogo. I love the retro new wave of ‘Yesterday’ it reminds me of the Teardrop Explodes.
After me championing the upbeat, lucky nature of this album ‘Always Gonna Be My Girl’ is a mellow moment with sparse arrangement and the last song of the disco when you grab your girl and cheek to cheek you slow dance before she has to go home. To close off the record we take another gear shift with the more punchy ‘Dive Right In’ It’s like they’ve emerged from hibernation switched on the Commodore 64 watched a rerun of Back to the Future and written some new wave tunes looking forward to a brighter future and with this, in the cassette deck the future is so bright I have to wear shades. I know it Autogramm knows it and now you know it. Don’t delay get in it, this is music that humans have played and they’re just like me and you and if you’re here you probably also have exquisite taste so get over to Beluga if you are this side of the pond and Stomp if you’re stateside. Great Scott get back to the future kids and get some Autogramm, like yesterday you’ll enjoy it.
Forming in 2018 – Guitarist Pete Greenway, drummer Keiron Melling and bassist Dave Spurr, formerly known as the last and longest serving line up of The Fall, were invited by Damo Sazuki to join him as “Sound Carriers” for a one-off performance at the White hotel in Salford. Rekindling their necessity for music, they set about searching for a vocalist. After a chance encounter at a pub in Colne and a lengthy conversation about the future of Imperial Wax, they decided to team up with Sam Curran, guitarist and vocalist from Leeds based punk band Black Pudding. Once Dave decided to leave the band in 2019 the obvious choice was to recruit another former black puddinger Shane Standrill on Bass
‘Less I Need’ is the first single from Imperial Wax’s forthcoming second album ‘Tranquilliser’. It’s a 4-minute post punk garage barrage, constantly changing keys and charging up into a furious krautrock barnstormer.
“Less I need was the first song written for the new album,” explains guitarist and vocalist Sam Curran. “The initial intention for the song was to simplify our writing format and concentrate more on one solid foundational groove and build upon that, rather than overloading the song with different parts, which in the end evidently went out the window. It was (drummer) Keiron’s idea to constantly change keys, which worked really well. It gave the song much more drive and purpose. The key changes were not planned out and probably technically incorrect to a trained musical ear. Wherever the hand landed on the guitar neck was where the key change went, which helped create that jarring unpredictable nature to the song.
“The actual chorus and eventual title of the song came as a total accident. I couldn’t come up anything good for the chorus, so while playing song with the band I just sang gobbledygook whenever it got to that part. That gobbledygook eventually refined itself and started sounding like words but was never anything proper. When recording the demos and listening back someone asked ‘what do you say during the chorus? Is it less I need?’ I said, It is now.”
As the pandemic ground the country to a halt, Keiron and Sam set about brewing the beginnings of the follow up to their 2019 debut, ‘Gastwerk Saboteurs’. In stark contrast to the writing style of their debut, where the songs were created all together, written and recorded in the same day. The bare skeleton of ‘Tranquilliser’ was written mainly as a two piece amidst the lockdown. Pete and Dave eventually adding their own parts later but overall allowing the band much more time to craft the songs into a cohesive, well-rehearsed, studio budget friendly collection of tracks. The forced contemplation of excess time gave an approach which was totally unfamiliar to what they were used to and naturally cultivated a more complex style of song, meaning more parts, more changes and less playing off of other band members. After Dave’s departure former Black Pudding bass player Shane Standrill stepped up to the oche, bringing with him a different playing style and thus changing the sound of the band even further. Dave had already laid the groundwork for the whole album, but after the failed first lot of recordings at their own practice space in Lancashire and with Shane’s new take on Dave’s parts, the band decided to go and re-record the whole thing properly at HOHM Studios in Bradford. Sam found himself working in a chateau in the south of France, who was also in the midst of a lockdown. Allowing him a plethora of time and solitude to begin writing lyrics. There wasn’t much else to do in the evenings except read and write. Not many opportunities can provide such an uninterrupted environment to immerse yourself in the writing process, which was something Sam took full advantage of. Inspired by the works of Joseph Conrad, William Burroughs, Herni Cherrier, Mashima, Olga Tokarschuk and many more. The main problem for any small band always boils down to money and that was certainly the case with Imperial Wax, so after a few failed label offers the band looked into releasing the album themselves. Upon realising the potential of having total control over your own release, the only problem was that no one had a clue what they were doing, hence the name Guesswork Records. It was a venture Keiron had long been keen on since his time in the Fall, after he and Mark had planned their own label which ultimately never came into fruition with MES’s untimely demise. Another unexpected blow was finding out that Pete had contracted the dreaded long covid. The band held out for a long time hoping that Pete would start showing signs of improvement which unfortunately never came and is still up in the air to this day. No doubt he will back in the saddle eventually but for now Imperial Wax have enlisted former Cabbage guitarist Joe Martin. After the fairly public collapse of cabbage along with his own personal struggles it was a case of right place and right time when Keiron bumped into Joe in Colne. They needed a guitarist and Joe filled that requirement. Along with the very recent addition of former the Fall/PJ Harvey bassist Ding, who has taken up the role of synth, Imperial Wax are well armed to take on many more year’s future musical ventures. FOLLOW IMPERIAL WAX SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK
Fond of all things yuletide at Damaged Goods HQ, having released a fabulous collection of Christmas records over the years, even if they do say so themselves! This one is up there with the best of them and is sure to sell out quickly!
The Sensible Gray Cells are Captain Sensible (The Damned) on guitar/vocals, Paul Gray (The Damned) on bass/vocals, with Marty Love (Johnny Moped) on drums.
Join with them in celebrating all things that are daft and frustrating about the festive season. The band’s Xmas ditty ‘A Stupid Xmas’ captures everything you love to hate about this special time of year. It also has the catchiest chorus since Slade and Wizzard ruled the charts! AND wait till you see the video!
So, if you’re bored with watching endless repeats of Morecombe & Wise, or on the other channel Nigel Farage scoffing bugs on ‘I’m A Celebrity..’ and maybe fancy a crack at trying to solve a real, modern day ‘whodunnit’ then flip the record over for the somewhat darker flavoured ‘B’ side ‘Keep it to Yourself’ which sees the band in full on ‘armchair detective’ mode, taking a look at the as yet still unresolved Madeleine McCann mystery.
***VINYL FANS TAKE NOTE*** A certain number of records will have a deliberate mistake hidden.. well, somewhere or other – a jolly wheeze inspired by some of those old Stiff Records ‘instant collector’s item’ mispressings. We won’t say anymore!
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