Wax Face Toys Announce Iggy Pop “1970” Giant Limited Edition Statue

Wax Face Toys Announce Iggy Pop “1970” Giant Limited Edition Statue
Featuring the legendary rock star in one of his most iconic poses, during The Stooges “peanut butter incident” at Cincinnati Pop Festival in June 1970
Wax Face Toys is pleased to announce a new series of figures in resin and vinyl from the best in music, film, and cult popular culture. Their first offering, a collaboration between music legend Iggy Pop and Wax Face Toys, is manufactured by Unbox Industries under exclusive license from Thread Shop, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

Last month marked the 49th anniversary of the infamous “peanut butter incident” at Crosley Field. With a position taken from an Iggy and the Stooges concert at the Cincinnati Pop Festival on June 13th 1970, this resin figure captures Iggy hoisted high by an adoring audience in his iconic shirtless pose, seconds before smearing peanut butter all over his chest and throwing it into the crowd as The Stooges ripped through “1970” from Fun House.

Sculpted in London by ex-Madame Tussauds sculptors, this 15.7″ / 40cm figure (which is about 2 1/2 times the size of a normal bobble head figure) is molded in silver

 

The black figure, as previewed in Dangerous Minds, has already sold out but other colorways will be available to purchase at Unbox Industries periodically.
The silver edition is limited to 35 pieces and will go on sale on June 29th for $249 (with shipping) at http://store.unboxindustries.info
Wax Face Toys is on Facebook and Instagram

Rebellion Preview – Saturday oi! oi!

Rebellion Preview – Saturday oi! oi!

Saturday has always felt like the most popular day over the Rebellion weekend and this year is certainly no exception with day tickets selling out a full four weeks before the event (at the time of writing day tickets for the other three days along with full weekend tickets are still available here).

The main draw this year is without doubt the return of the legendary Cock Sparrer to a UK stage following their back to basics club tour of 2017 which they undertook to promote their awesome ‘Forever’ album, and looking at the quality undercard that is also on offer this is definitely the day to get your cherry reds out of the cupboard and buffed up ready for.

When the Saturday was first announced I did detect an excited squeal originating from within RPM towers as Editor In Chief Dom Daley saw that a band called Spider are opening the Empress Ballroom at 12:35 without first realising this four-piece are gothic-tinged punk rockers from Long Beach California and not Sniffa’s straight edge boogie metallers from the eighties. This is something of a get out of jail free card for yours truly so I’ll be raising my first Dark Fruits of the day to this Spider safe in the knowledge that they don’t sound fuck all like Status Quo. Result!

With the Introducing Stage once again showcasing a further thirteen bands over the course of the Saturday our old chums and graduates of the rock ‘n’ roll high school Brocker make a very welcome early appearance at 13:15. So if high octane rock ‘n’ roll music delivered with plenty of punk rock attitude is your bag then I suggest you add this one in your laminated gig planner too.

Returning to their second home of the lavish Opera House stage glam punkers The DeRellas are next up for me at 14:20. Last year Joey, Luca, Timmy and Billy took the capacity crowd on a non-stop Rock n RollerCoaster Ride, without even playing the song by the same name that first got me into them.  This year I expect more of the same insanity with the new boys now fully gigged in across sold out European shows.

After a weekend of full force punk rock (whatever your choice of sub-genre) if you are looking for a place to chill out on a Saturday afternoon then Club Casbah from 4:20 onwards is going to be your ting as Rebellion celebrates the influence dub, reggae and ska has had on punk rock via a four hour four band line-up that kicks off with The Rhythm-ites and also includes sets by RDF, Citizen Fish and HR from Bad Brains.

The lure of Alvin Gibbs and The Disobedient Servants in The Opera House (kicking off at 5:15) where the core trio of Alvin, Leigh Heggarty and Jamie Oliver are no doubt going to be joined by a huge array of guest guitarists is always going to be enough to tempt me away from an afternoon of skanking plus when you also add the return of the mighty Giuda to the Empress Ballroom stage at 17:50 its safe to safe I’ll be doing the ‘Space Walk’ down the front ready for some ‘Ravers Rock’.

With Club Casbah celebrating all things reggae the Empress Ballroom meanwhile takes a trip down the skinhead/Oi! route with Lions Law kicking things off at 4:45 with sets following from the likes of Giuda (who I’ve already mentioned), Evil Conduct and Cockney Rejects along with a special set from The Business celebrating the life of Micky Fitz set to feature special guest vocalists (with Al Barr (Dropkick Murphys) and Roi Pearce (Last Resort) are already confirmed) all singing the songs of their fallen brother. There won’t be a dry eye in the house that’s for sure, and all of this is before Cock Sparrer hit the stage at 11pm to deliver what has become THE definitive Rebellion set of punk rock music, delivering classic tune after classic tune into the wee small hours.

Of course, if Oi! isn’t your thing then there’s still plenty to see elsewhere with Duncan Reid & The Big Heads delivering the powerpop goodies in spades over in the Opera House from 7:25 and then in the very same venue from 10pm onwards there’s the back to back awesomeness of Walter Lure’s LAMF and The Godfathers to revel in. Proper low-slung guitar punk rock ‘n’ roll just how RPM loves it, and I must admit this stage clash is one of the biggest of the weekend even extending to a third stage for me as I’d love to also be catching Wonk Unit over at Club Casbah from 21:50….and then there’s The Exploited at 11pm back to headline the Club Casbah after Wattie’s umpteenth bout of fisticuffs with the Grim Reaper, surely that alone is reason enough to raise a pint and celebrate the band’s back catalogue?

I’ll openly admit I’m really not sure how I’m going to fit all of this in folks but I’m certainly going to give it a try…ahhh you know fuck it I might just spend all day watching new bands over on the Introducing stage and say “what the hell.”

One things for sure though and that is Rebellion Festival is the place to be from the 1st to the 4th of August 2019 and you can get your tickets RIGHT HERE!!!!

 

 

The Members – Version (Cleopatra Records)

The Members – Version (Cleopatra Records)

Right let’s get this out of the way early door so I don’t have to mention it again.  Yes JC Carroll is the lead singer behind the Members and yes they did have a smash hit with ‘Sound Of The Suburbs’. Right, We’re gathered here today to celebrate a whole generation of inspirational tunes that helped shape the musical landscape of the 20th century.  The Members have gone down the covers route, in itself its no biggie lots of bands tip the hat so to speak and turn in exceptional interpretations of songs and bands that inspired them and some band spectacularly miss the point but, I guess it’s an individual thing. A classic song is exactly that to the individual so when a band takes on an iconic tune and flips it on its head sometimes it misses the point of that original.  ‘Version’ has fourteen covers some more widely known than others and some done fairly straight whilst others are not just flipped on their heads but totally rebirthed as something so far removed I don’t know what to make of it at times.

First up is a Prince song taken to the charts by Cyndi Lauper Not afraid of taking a chance and opening with a big hitter then? To be fair it’s not a million miles from Prince with the synth hook its got a cars sort of power pop feel to the melody but JC doesn’t have the high falsetto that the former artist known as Prince had but its an intriguing introduction to say the least. Covered by many artists over the years and now the opening track for The Members.

Come out from behind the sofa folks its only a song by the Swedish phenomena better known as ABBA.  Yup ‘Does Your Mother Know’ gets a roughing up and I don’t know whether to laugh or cry its one of those songs from your childhood that is burnt into your memory.  Not sure ABBA ever translate into any sort of guitar-based music its a weird one and I’d like to accept the offer of a free pass on this one.

Ah, Bowie and a clear favourite on Carroll as he apes Bowie in the vocal department and to be fair does a good job as the band actually do ‘Boys Keep Swinging’ some justice and don’t try and be clever and just do a pretty straight take on it.  Next up things get weird as they take on the classic Buzzcocks ‘What Do I Get’ and reggae-fy it using its superb melody to slow it right down and skank. Bells and whistles thrown in along with the natty keyboard stabs I don’t think I like it at all.  Whilst I try to get the taste of the last one out of my mouth along comes another weird take on the classic ‘Sheena Is A Punk Rocker’ and it’s given a trip on an altogether different route than Joey and the boys took it originally and again I can’t work out if I’m listening to genius or a messed up piss take – help I’m confused.

More Ramones crop up with ‘Chinese Rocks’ and a suitably scuzzy riff is dutifully relayed and a fairly straight route is taken. The band then go down the reggae road covering the John Holt track ‘Police In Helicopters’ all about da herb brother.  A fairly standard cover to be fair and fairly true to the original. Continuing the theme the band does ‘Soul Rebel’ from Bob Marley and what you hear is exactly what you get.  laid back and chilled out. In for a penny and all that it’s no surprise to hear the band take on the Gregory Issacs iconic track ‘Night Nurse’ personalising the lyrics and doing a decent job on this chilled out five minutes.

Wow now, C’mon JC turning ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ into a trumpet tooting reggae song is just not on or is it? Maybe Shelley was a visionary and this was how it was intended to sound?  It’ll take you a while to get your head around it and again I’m really not sure what to make of it, firstly with it being such an iconic punk rock song its hard to get your head around this departure.  Brave or crazy who knows what’s done is done now and there is no going back maybe JC just hears it differently to some of us.

Grandmaster Flash anyone? This is more interesting and one I think would make more sense hearing it live with the horns and finishing with ‘Waiting for my Man’ JC and The Members certainly haven’t taken the easy route here and to some it’ll be red rag to a bull whilst others with be in love with old songs newly arranged.

Me I’m undecided.  Maybe I’ll give it another go but give it a bit of distance as well. brave or crazy I can’t decide.

Buy ‘Version’ Here

Author: Dom Daley

 

 

 

 

Kenny Wayne Shepherd – The Traveler (Provogue Records)

Kenny Wayne Shepherd – The Traveler (Provogue Records)

Not many guitar players can get away with 3 names, it takes a special kind of player to pull it off. Like his hero Stevie Ray Vaughn before him, Kenny Wayne Shepherd proudly wears his three names across his catalogue of music.

Since bursting onto the scene in the mid-90s, Kenny Wayne has put out album after album of guitar-heavy, Texas-tinged blues rock. He wears his influences on his sleeve and that’s ok because he always puts a spin on things that is distinctly his own.

I’ve been a fan of Kenny for a long time and I’ve spent hours jamming along to his records and trying to capture that incredible Stratocaster tone he produces. His latest offering, The Traveler is no exception.

From the first listen of opening track Woman Like You, I’m hooked. Kenny always starts his albums with an up tempo rocker and this track stands strong to kick off proceedings. Sticking with the hard and driving feel, Long Time Running keeps my head bobbing. Vocalist Noah Hunt sounds on top form and Kenny’s guitar player is just excellent as always. I don’t think I’ve heard this guy play a bad note.

From listening to his back catalogue and seeing him live, I always feel his playing takes on another level in some of his more spacious and slower songs. The third track I Want You has a long guitar solo, but who cares? When someone is playing like that, it can go on for as long as they want it to. It’s full of soul, heart and fire.

Tailwind and Gravity follow up with a dip in tempo to a nice, chilled acoustic lead section of the album. It might feel like the band are taking a breather here, but these songs still kick some serious ass. The chorus of Tailwind was just written to be sung by a room full of music lovers. Gravity is just full of gorgeous melodies and a guitar solo that could make a grown man cry. How he coaxes those notes from a guitar no one will ever know.

I feel that this album offers a bit more head bobbing rockers than the last album from Kenny and co. We All Alright keeps us thundering along with it’s thumping drums and huge chorus.

Take It On Home is one for the lovers in the house. A tender ode to coming home to the place and person you love. Kenny spends a lot of the year on the road so you can certainly believe every word he sings on this track. And yes, I do keep saying it… but wow… what a guitar solo!

Mr. Soul might sound like a familiar riff. It’s very much a Stones influence. I mean, it’s from the right era. Originally written in 1967 by Neil Young for Buffalo Springfield, this riff has given listeners over the years many hours of ahem… Satisfaction.

Every album has got to have one song that makes the listener say “that’s about me!”. It’s that feeling of relating that keeps us coming back to our favourite tracks. Better With Time for me, is that track. It’s an ode to growing up, loving, losing and learning. Like a fine wine, life sometimes gets better with age as we grow older and wiser. Kenny and the band have captured that exact feeling.

The album closes with the Joe Walsh penned Turn To Stone, this has all the southern stomp you need to get on down. Infectious grooves fill the song before the wah-drenched lead guitar epic that kicks in before the second verse. This is only a short lead burst though; Kenny is saving his ammo for the big shootout in the middle of the song.  From 2 minutes and 10 seconds in, the vocals are out. We’re reminded firmly why we came here, to listen to some damn fine guitar playing. For the next 2 minutes, we belong to Kenny Wayne Shepherd as he takes us on a journey through loud and quiet, up and down, fast and slow before bringing the album to a crashing close.

The Traveler has taken me on a journey. Pack your bags, it’s your turn now.

Buy The Traveler Here

Author: Leigh Fuge

Black Devil Byrds- Interview with Nev Brooks

Black Devil Byrds- Interview with Nev Brooks

You might not have picked up on the Black Devil Byrds yet, they might not yet have appeared on your radar, do yourself a favour and start digging around, I think your going to be knocked sideways.

The Black Devil BYRDS released the debut album ‘Dead And In Prison’ in November 2017. The album, recorded in Prague at Golden Hive studio in 2016, is raw: as the band says, “a deliberate move away from the modern-day, now-standard, “corporate” recording process;” it was recorded on tape with NO clicks and in an as-live-as-it-could-be way! Late night sessions and a low fi feel were the order of the project”.

 

The tracks were recorded while the band were touring and playing festival dates in the Czech Republic the group headed up by Long John on Vocals, Guitar and Harmonicas, included long time side kicks: Jules Fly Haffegee on Bass, Rob Poyton Keys, John O’Neil Saxophone, Mark Gilligan Clarinet and Mark Wheeler Drums with additional percussion from Lee Morley.

 

I caught up with Lead Vocalist Long John, to talk the Blues and hear about the new LP scheduled for release this year

Hi Long John, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us here at RPM, especially when your just about to jet out to L.A. on music related business, for starters tell us a bit about your background/influences?

Yes, I am jetting back to L.A for the launch of the New Black Devil Byrds single ‘Letter to the President’. The record company are having a shindig for the event.. My heart and soul though are in America, I love the country and the people can be amazing. I have lived worked and traveled in the US for many years it’s a huge influence on my music and poetry writing. You get the best of the best and the very worst of the worst in the USA. 370 Million people in one place. Bound to be trouble sometimes…

 

I played a few tracks from your earlier LP ‘Dead and in Prison’ on a radio program called the ‘Rock and Roll circus’ when it came out and loved the almost Cajun Blues feel ala Dr John/ maybe hinting at Tom Waits, the raw intensity that sits behind the music. For people who have never heard The Black Devil Byrds, how would you describe the sound?

Yes that’s some good ingredients right there! I never intended to sound like waits or Dr John but they are inevitable influences on so many artist. I have seen myself as a Blues musician for many years but now I feel my music is starting to take a more soulful direction. I want soul and I want a message!

 

(If you want to do yourself a favour and pick up a copy of the first LP you can get it right Here)

Your just about to launch a new single “Letter to the president”, produced by Paul Ronney Angel, how did you manage to keep him out of the studio and behind the mixing desk, once his harmonica duties were covered?

Paul Ronney Angel’s been a soul brother to me for some years now. I have great respect for his music and as a performer, his band The Urban Voodoo Machine really are amazing. (I couldn’t agree more N.B.) He joined the Black Devil Byrds on our short tour in Prague a year or so ago and he really liked some of the tracks we were doing .He kept an eye on the new album and I asked him if he would like to do something on one of the tracks .He put some real hoodoo magic down with harmonicas and vocals and re inspired our efforts on this Black Devil Byrds project.  Paul had mentioned to Johnny Sting Ray he would like to produce a mix of Letter to the president. So we sent over the tracks from the studio in Prague to Space Eko, Alex McGowan’s studio in East London. I didn’t know what we would get back but when it arrived back with us Paul and Alex had really stripped it down and put an edge on things. Paul Rooney Angel is a very talented guy and has a very professional approach he is now producing the whole album.. Watch this space..

After hearing the single, I can absolutely say its gonna launch the Black Devil Byrds into the must watch bands of 2019/20 category) Its out on July 4th.

You’ve also dragged in Johnny Stingray to play on the new stuff, pulling him away from The Bad Idea Factory studio, to provide vocals and guitar are either of them going to be joining the band in the live setting?

Johnny is a great musician. Trouble is he’s and even greater artist so his guitar playing talents get over looked. He joined us on tour last your in Czech Republic and again for the recording sessions at Golden Hive in Prague last year.  We had a lot of fun in the studio and Johnny did a great feed back version of the Star Spangled Banner… we had to use it. Its featured more on the Alex Limburg (Hipster) Remix, which is a sister, release to the Radio Edit.

Tell us a little bit about the single, my understanding is it came from an initial poem you had written?

Yes most of my songs are written as poems which can be hard to transpose sometimes. I’m influenced greatly by the Beat poets of the late 60S. Ginsburg, Bukowski it’s incredible. We don’t read poetry so much any more and its powerful stuff. Trumps a great subject matter and it was important to me to say something. It’s not a slander song it all factual and simply a protest to his roller coaster approach to global harmony.

 

It’s coming out as a precursor for a new LP have you got a title and a potential release date yet?

The album will be our later in the year. We are still thinking on the title.

 

Tell us a little bit about the new LP?

It’s a message album. And the tracks, which we are still working on, have titles such as Syria, Meet My Maker, and a remix of Dead and in Prison… Dark and Soulful with a message you can keep in your hearts!

Any plans in place yet for some UK/European live dates?

It’s funny as I was taking a year off in 2019. Things run over. But yes we will be supporting Jim Jones and the Righteous Minds in Bedford October 5th. And plan to tour and promote the album with a few festival dates for 2020…

 

Let us know when your playing and we’ll drop in to catch up and listen. Are you listening to anything new at the moment, anything you’d recommend?

Bob Dylan.. Rolling Thunder.. amazing..

 

Absolutely one to check out people, cheers for taking the time out to chat to us, can’t wait to catch you guys live and looking forward to the new LP coming out

Thanks Neville for the interview….

 

If you like your Blues with an edge, verging on the Dr. John, dark, Cajun at times at other times raw and emotional with a real undercurrent this LP is for you.

 

If you’re a fan of real music played with passion you have arrived at the right place, get listening to the Black Devil Byrds.

 

Facebook

Author: Nev Brooks

 

Gone but not forgotten – Würzel

Gone but not forgotten – Würzel

Würzel was born Michael Richard Burston on 23 October 1949.  He joined Motörhead in 1984 and played up until 1995, playing on eight albums including two live albums. Würzel died at the age of 61, following heart complications.

He joined the same time as another unknown guitarist from Wales entered the Motorhead ranks a certain Phil Campbell. Lemmy obviously liked them both so offered them the job and the iconic three-piece had now become a four piece making their debut as a band on The Young Ones on 14 February 1984 Valentines Day.

After leaving the ranks of Motorhead Würzel released a solo EP in 87 as well as some dodgy Jazz-Rock instrumentals.  On this day in 2011, Lemmys bass technician reported that Würzel had died. The cause of death was CardioMyopathy.  Before passing, Würzel was working on new material with his band, ‘Leader of Down’. The following day, Lemmy dedicated Motörhead’s performance at Sonisphere Festival to his memory.

His recording contribution with Motorhead shouldn’t be underestimated playing on some of the bands best albums  they ever did such as – No Remorse (Compilation, 1984), Orgasmatron (1986), Rock ‘n’ Roll (1987), Nö Sleep at All (Live album, 1988), The Birthday Party (Live album, 1990), 1916 (1991), March ör Die (1992), Bastards (1993), Sacrifice (1995), BBC Live & In-Session (Live album, 2005).

He earned the nickname “Würzel ” as a soldier because of his West Country roots and disheveled appearance, which led his fellow recruits (when he was a soldier prior to joining Motorhead) to compare him with the TV character Worzel Gummidge.  Lemmy described him as “nearly a basket case” in his 2002 autobiography – encouraged him to add an umlaut to his name rather than go by his birth name, in line with the spelling of the band’s name besides putting Ü is like the Ö in the band name and way more metal. Würzel became the jester and a perfect counterfoil to Lemmy’s sterner image.  Lemmy recalled a time when he lived up to his chaotic jester-like lifestyle when he ran into Bill Wyman at a London venue and almost knocked him out such was his level of excitement. Lemmy recounted,  “Würzel ran down there, all excited, and, just as he comes to the bottom, Bill Wyman comes along, and he hits him full-on and lands him flat on his back … Great start to the evening, you know? ‘Hello, Bill, I’ve always been a fan of yours. Oh sorry, have I knocked you out?’ ”

Despite leaving the band he did remain friends with Lemmy and made several guest appearances at shows up until his untimely death including Guilfest in ’09.  Rest in peace Würzel.

 

Happy Birthday Bon & Duncan

Happy Birthday Bon & Duncan

Ronald Belford Scott Better known as Bon to you and I was born on this day in 1946 in Forfar, Scotland.  Emigrating to Australia eight years later.  Bon joined AC/DC in 1974 replacing Dave Evans in the band and becoming frontman for one of the biggest and most iconic Hard Rock bands ever.

THE first time Bon saw AC/DC was in August 1974. They played Adelaide at the Pooraka Hotel… Bons mate Vince urged the singer to get up on stage with the band after they were playing standards instrumentally after sacking Evans. Bon urged by his pal got up onto the stage and the rest, as they say, is history.  Like Bon, the Youngs were also Scottish, so there was an instant connection there.

 

That was in the October and the following February AC/DC released ‘High Voltage’, their first LP in Australia.  With Scott front and centre led the band to release iconic albums from ‘TNT’ released the same year as ‘High Voltage’ then The first AC/DC album to get released overseas was a compilation of tracks from the first two albums, also entitled ‘High Voltage’, which was released in the May  of 1976. ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ was released in the same year, but again only in Australia; The other version of the album was released in the November 1976 in the UK.  ‘Let There Be Rock’ and ‘Powerage’ before the band put out their first live album recorded in Scotland ‘If You Want Blood’ preceded Bons last album with the band the classic ‘Highway To Hell’ in 1979.

on 19 February 1980 after a visit to the Music Machine in Camden Scott was asleep in a Renault 5 in East Dulwich where events get fuzzy with several differing turns of events is alleged however what is a fact is Scott was pronounced dead and whether it was caused by alcohol and choking on his vomit or caused by class A drug overdose the sad fact remained that Rock and Roll had lost one of its biggest characters and best frontmen.  Death by misadventure seemed like the only way Scott was ever going to leave this world and wasn’t one you could imagine getting old.

Today spin a classic DC track and toast one hell of a voice or pick up Jesse Finks book ‘Bon’ the definitive biography of a Legend no question about that folks.  Bon Scott Rest In Peace and thanks for the tunes. I hope there’s a party to celebrate your Birthday whenever you rest.

 

Buy Bon Here

Oh and before we forget happy 21st the ‘Kid’ Duncan Reid.  One time Boys bass player and singer, one time Ramone  Happy Birthday Duncan Reid.

Rosalie Cunningham-Rosalie Cunningham (Cherry Red)

Rosalie Cunningham-Rosalie Cunningham (Cherry Red)

I was really not sure what to expect with this one, a solo offering coming from the front-woman of Purson Rosalie Cunningham,  but as opening track  ‘Ride on my bike” opens up I’m thinking early 60’s maybe 70’s psychedelia “ala” Barrett era Pink Floyd, maybe a hint of the Chocolate watch band, but definitely not what I expected. The vocals themselves, almost (I said almost) entering Jefferson Airplane territory.

 

Next up “Fuck love” again drifts down the route of Psychedelia and I’m starting to get a bit of a prog vibe the discord, offsetting the vocals, is a bit too technical for my taste’s, in fact, it’s lost me I’m finding this challenging to say the least.

 

There’s a carny-style intro to “House of the glass red” and I think I’m rapidly disappearing down the rabbit hole, the Alice in Wonderland vibe which is so dependent on the substance consumed has left me in a strange place, surrounded by imagery I’m at complete odds with.

 

Next up “Dethroning the party queen” again tracks the carny trail, almost Mickey mouse controlling the sweeping brushes ala Fantasia, the sound and vocals rising and falling and I’m starting to think if at the outset the music was designed to create an environment where we vanish into a world of individual psychedelic fairy tails then I’m getting it, but fck it’s not an easy listen.

 

Next up “Nobody Hears” begins with an almost Jazz Piano intro before a harmonium comes through and a more medieval sound appears (as if by magic), I’m not sure if you could call this prog it really is all over the place, it’s so far out there I’m grasping at straws, trying to grab links to try to understand what I’m listening to and ending up thinking about Mr. Benn!!!!! Isn’t it amazing where music takes your mind?

 

At this point I’m smiling to myself, I’ve given up being constructive and am off with the fairies bouncing along the yellow brick road to the emerald city “Riddles and Games” is actually playing but by this time my fragile mind has lost the plot completely and I’m barely hanging in there. Then “Butterflies” starts and I’m into Thames-men era Spinal Tap and off again lost in my own little world.

 

I have to say at this point I’m really not the right person to review this, I just don’t get this genre at all, its all elves, pixies, Unicorns and abstract fairy tails (purely a personal opinion) I’m not even going to go into “Rumpelstiltskin” sorry  “A yarn from a wheel”. Absolutely not for me but I’m sure it will appeal to any lover of Prog and as if by magic over to you DD!!!!!

Buy Rosalie Cummingham: Here

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown – ‘Truth And Lies’

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown – ‘Truth And Lies’

Looking in from the outside, it’s easy to be skeptical of Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown. The young Nashville based band seemingly came from nowhere, bagged a record deal and toured the world supporting AC/DC and Guns n’ Roses in arenas, after just one, low key album release. A dream for any young band, but not every young band can get that kind of breaks. It takes more than having a guitar prodigy fronting your band and the son of Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford backing him up on rhythm guitar to bag the sort of tours these guys have been getting on…doesn’t it?

When you are lauded by the likes of BB King and Jeff Beck it must be hard to keep your head out of the clouds, but Tyler Bryant and his band have kept grounded and paid their dues like any other rock ‘n’ roll band, through sheer hard work and determination to put on the best show they can.

Fair play, it turns out these guys got those tours on their live performance alone and not on who they know. Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown have paid their dues in the clubs and if you have been lucky enough to catch them live, you will know you can’t fake that sort of energy, or stage that quality of performance.

But to stay alive in this musical climate, being a great live band is not enough, you’ve got to have something special to keep people’s attention and you have to have the songs to back it up.

 

Which brings us to Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown’s third full-length album ‘Truth And Lies’. Recorded in Williamsburg, NY by producer Joel Hamilton (The Black Keys, Tom Waits), ‘Truth And Lies’ is a heady mix of 80’s and 90’s bluesy hard rock, following the same stadium-sized path as its self-titled predecessor.

But for me, the band have never captured the energy of their live show, and on record, they come across as a country-tinged Bon Jovi, and funnily enough if you had told me this was the lost album between ‘These Days’ and ‘Crush’ I would surely believe you!

Yes, back in the mid 90’s when rock music was a bit edgy and bands were taking risks, ‘Truth and Lies’ would have fitted in just nicely. It has a grungy feel to a lot of the straight out rockers. For example, album opener ‘Shock & Awe’ rides on a sludgy, Jerry Cantrell like riff and a stadium-sized chorus that fits the bill. It’s a great track that sets the scene. The trouble is, that scene is a little bit staid and a whole bit generic.

The rockier tunes are solid enough but don’t really grab the attention. The likes of ‘On To The Next’, ‘Eye To Eye’ and ‘Panic Button’ are blues-rock by numbers and not particularly inspiring or memorable. The annoying thing is, I know these tunes will absolutely crush when they play them live.

 

For me, this band truly shine when they take things down a notch. The heartfelt ‘Out There’ with its lone, finger-picked acoustic guitar and sentimental lyricism is a beautiful piece of music. With Eastern vibes and a sense of yearning, this is a top track that hits the spot. And ‘Judgement Day’ is the piece de resistance of ‘Truth and Lies’. Drummer Caleb’s simple beats and the haunting effects back up Tyler’s raspy vocal, his lone, finger-picked acoustic guitar complimenting just perfectly. A sweet, slide solo and swampy vibes make this a stand out track.

 

You could say The Shakedown are at their best when they are just kicking back and playing the blues. The southern rock vibes of ‘Trouble’ sit well and ‘The Ride’ is a ZZ Top inspired piece of blues-rock that flows along nicely. A jaw-dropping, yet understated piece of soloing from the frontman makes this a bit of a showstopper.

 

I get the sense that this album is make or break for Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown. They are young, hungry and they look the part, as with their previous albums, their fan base will adore ‘Truth and Lies’ and I’m sure it’ll gain them plenty more. But, I don’t think they really have the songs and that’s what counts above all else.

Already the competition is high for album releases this year, and for me ‘Truth & Lies’ is an average album from a truly exceptional live band.

 

Facebook

Buy Truth And Lies Here

Author: Ben Hughes

The Mission’s Wayne Hussey announces ‘Salad Daze’ UK tour

The Mission’s Wayne Hussey announces ‘Salad Daze’ UK tour

The Mission’s Wayne Hussey announces ‘Salad Daze’ UK tour with dark ethereal wonder Evi Vine

Order tour tickets Here
Order ‘Salad Daze’ book Here

Wayne Hussey, best known as the frontman for UK alternative rock legends The Mission, has announced UK dates with London-based dark ethereal artist Evi Vine, as part of his European tour this coming autumn. Hussey will be touring in support of his long-awaited autobiography ‘Salad Daze’. Evi Vine is supporting her new album ‘Black Light White Dark’.

Evi Vine contributed backing vocals on The Mission’s 2016 album ‘Another Fall From Grace’, which hit the UK top-40 album chart. In 2016-17, she toured with Wayne Hussey and The Mission as featured vocalist for their 30th Anniversary Tour.

Wayne Hussey’s book ‘Salad Daze’ was published on May 23 by Omnibus Press, chronicling Wayne’s life from childhood to his days with The Mission. A confessional, engaging and explicit account of life in the eye of rock’s storm conveyed with warmth, humour and laugh-out-loud moments, each chapter is accompanied by a specially curated playlist (via YouTube and Spotify) featuring artists as diverse as Elvis, Radiohead, Suicide, Frank Sinatra, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, David Bowie, Television, T-Rex, Cigarettes After Sex, Iggy Pop, and Telly Savalas.

“My autobiography was recently published and, to celebrate, I’m going out on a mammoth tour of Europe. Having been in solitary confinement and chained to a desk for the last year or so I thought it was time to go and make some music and be a little sociable with the world. Hence, I’m playing 50 plus shows in just over two months visiting the UK, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Greece, & Sweden,” says Wayne Hussey.

“It’ll either kill me or make a man of me at last. For the UK shows, I am delighted to have Evi Vine as my very special guest. Evi, who recently released a third solo album ‘Black White Light Dark’, sang onstage with The Mission in 2016-17 on our ‘Another Fall From Grace’ tour. I am also hoping to persuade Evi to maybe join me onstage each night to sing a few songs together. It was always one of the highlights of the Mission show for me when Evi and I got to perform one acoustic song, I always looked forward to that moment.”

Born in Bristol and raised as a Mormon, Wayne had his epiphany as a young boy while watching Marc Bolan and T-Rex on Top Of The Pops. Seeing his destiny in a blinding flash of glitter, mascara and dark curls, he decided he was going to be a rock star. After moving to Liverpool, Wayne eventually gained recognition and notoriety as the lead singer and principal songwriter in The Mission after putting in time as a guitarist with Sisters Of Mercy, Dead Or Alive, and Pauline Murray’s Invisible Girls.

Most recently, both Wayne Hussey and Evi Vine have been collaborating with LA-based supergroup Beauty in Chaos, spearheaded by Michael Ciravolo and also involving members of The Cure, Ministry, Cheap Trick, King’s X, The Offspring, Van Halen, Marilyn Manson and Bauhaus, as well as Ice T, Tim Palmer and Rolan Bolan, among others.

The ‘Salad Daze’ Tour with Evi Vine kicks off in Nuneaton on August 26 and runs until November 8 at Stockholm’s Nalen Klubb. His final UK date is November 10, when Wayne appears at the Louder Than Words book festival in Manchester. Hussey will also be embarking on a full European solo tour this year in promotion of this book.

 

Keep up with Wayne Hussey / The Mission UK
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iTunes | Spotify | Book order | Tour press contact |
Book press contact | Concert bookings contact

Keep up with Evi Vine
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Big Cartel | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | iTunes | Spotify