As part of their Amazing Disgrace World TourThe Quireboys have announced an extensive tour of the United States, including stops in CaliforniaLas VegasSalt Lake CityDenverHoustonOklahomaKentuckyClevelandNew York and many more.

February sees the band, who have scored gold and platinum discs as part of their illustrious 35-year career, head to California to play the legendary Whisky A Go Go club in Hollywood, The Boardwalk in Orangevale and The House of Blues in Anaheim before embarking on a 14+ date run in March taking in a further 13 states across the country.

The lads were last in the States for their Black Eyed Sons Tour in 2013. Guitarist Guy Griffin said of the latest tour “We can’t wait to get back over to Hollywood, the spiritual home of sleaze, it’s been too long.  And to play Las Vegas will be a thrill – we will just have to keep Spike off the slot machines…”.

The Quireboys recently sold out their 35th Anniversary concert at London’s prestigious O2 Forum in Kentish Town – a show which is being released via digital download shortly, and then as part of a full 90-minute documentary for worldwide release via Amazon.

The band will bring their unique blend of blues and British rock’n’roll during February and March 2020, with more dates looking to be added shortly.

 

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If you’re one of those eagerly awaiting the chance to spaff a hundred dollars plus over the prospect of Motley Crue getting back in the ring and touring any time soon, then I would implore you to take some time out of your reckless abandon to spare a thought for Crue’s one-time US touring cohorts, Scottish hard rockers Heavy Pettin, who are just about to re-release three of their albums in expanded CD format.

Formed in Glasgow in 1981 guitarist Gordon Bonnar, drummer Gary Moat, bassist Brian Waugh, vocalist Steve ‘Hamie’ Hayman and lead guitarist Punky Mendoza immediately set their sights on hitting the big time just like their heroes UFO (hence the name) releasing their debut single ‘Roll the Dice’ in 1982 on Neat Records. This almost immediacy lead to them inking a multiple album deal with Polydor and with Warner/Chappell Publishing before working with Queen guitarist Brian May and producer Reinhold Mack on their classic 1983 debut LP ‘Lettin’ Loose’ and touring with the likes of KISS, Ozzy and Whitesnake.

Now that’s what you call an impressive two year career path if ever there was one, eh!

With 1985’s ‘Rock Ain’t Dead’ this saw the band looking to take on the world via deals with concert bookers ITB and ICM, but with the hard rock world changing (and hence the reason for my introduction) by the time the band resurfaced with their failed stab at Eurovision glory in 1987 you could almost sense the vultures starting to circle as the UK press was basically working for the Yankee dollar by the time of its release, and Pettin finally called it a day in 1988.

FM Revolver posthumously released the band’s last album for Polydor, the prophetically sounding (and much more AOR tinged) ‘Big Bang’ in 1989 but by then even the classic rock bands Pettin had supported back in their early days had morphed into near mirror images of the Saints of Los Angeles and only the die-hard Pettin fans like yours truly were left to pick up the hand full of copies that eventually did make it into UK record shops.

With the exception of a couple of semi-official reissues in the early noughties these albums have long since been the treasured finds of hard rock collecting eBayers and crate diggers alike…until now that is. And with singer Hamie and guitarist Gordon Bonnar once again touring under the Pettin banner its actually their old drumming pal Gary Moat (who is currently busy fronting his own band Burnt Out Wreck) who we have to thank for these for these three CDs (complete with a handful of bonus tracks) licensing the trio for a late November release via his Burnt Out Wreckords label with distribution through Cherry Red Records.

The big question I suppose though is what will it be like listening to these records again over 30 years on, as the emotional tourism of nostalgia can sometimes cloud the judgement, I’m sure you will agree.

Released the same year as Def Leppard’s ‘Pyromania’ 1983’s ‘Lettin Loose’ has lost none of its youthful charm, and the May/Mack production which at the time I felt was a little lightweight now adds an almost timeless charm to the album’s nine original tracks. It’s the fact that songs like opener ‘In And Out Of Love’ plus the hit single that should have been ‘Love Times Love’ can still stand shoulder to shoulder with anything off Leppard’s multi-Platinum seller that really stands out most for me. There isn’t a bad song on this underrated classic of a debut and after all these years it’s only now that I hear just how much in common Hamie had with one Biff Byford, especially on the rifftastic ‘Victims of The Night’, a song guaranteed to still give you a bit of HBN (that’s headbangers neck) after just one listen. Bolstered by both sides of the band’s debut 7” single on Neat Records (giving the CD a total of eleven tracks) ‘Lettin Loose’ is still a fantastic slab of twin guitar driven melodic hard rock, and is a record that promised so many great things for a band who were by the time of the release of its follow up selling out UK venues like London’s Astoria under their own steam and looking to really take on the big boys.

So with this in mind I’d always wondered with such an upwards career trajectory and such big money backing why ‘Rock Ain’t Dead’ didn’t thrust Heavy Pettin into the arena circuit worldwide? They seemingly had the songs to follow up their superb debut, they slightly tweaked their image to fit with the times and through extensive touring had all the confidence and stage craft to take on all comers. Polydor put an eager young producer like Mark Dearnley (AC/DC) behind the desk for the record, and yet I still get the feeling listening to this album all these years later that the band themselves simply wanted more.

Of the ten tracks that went on to make up ‘Rock Ain’t Dead’ its much easier for me to look behind the hype and for me one of the factors that may have dented this album’s credibility is that all of the sudden for record number two instead of seeing Def Leppard as a peer they suddenly seemingly just wanted to be them. I mean just listen to the bass rhythm of ‘Soul Survivor’ or the ‘Rock Of Ages’ lite of ‘China Boy’ and tell me I’m wrong. Don’t get me wrong they are still decent songs, its just I feel that when Pettin should have been developing and pushing their own sound they actually (perhaps unintentionally) took a sideways step and why oh why anyone thought that Hamie’s upwards inflection shriek at the end of a lot of his vocal lines was a good idea is still beyond me. I do note he has recently dropped these shrieks live during the recent reformation shows, so perhaps I might be onto something here too. It’s only really ‘Heart Attack’ which creeps up just past the half way mark of the album which is in keeping with the adrenalin rush spirit of Pettin’s debut, and the rest, whilst still a very decent record (CD bonus track ‘Crazy’ also being cut of the same striped spandex cloth), actually now strikes me as the sound of a band musically treading water.

Changing management after ‘Rock Ain’t Dead’ certainly didn’t help the Pettin cause in the slightest and then to follow this up with the failed ‘Romeo’ Eurovision bid of 1987 it was just short twelve months later before the band were calling it a day, and with Polydor never releasing the ‘Big Bang’ eight track album (and here given the definitive article treatment) from which that single came, it was left to FM Revolver to try and posthumously make something of the record, and of the three reissues this is the hardest one to listen to in 2019.

Chock full of keyboard samples that conjure up images of Patagonian pan pipes, drums that boof like Robocop’s boots chasing you down a corridor and songs that sound like they were specifically written for 80s action film montage sections the eight tracks that make up ‘Big Bang’ at best (‘Looking For Love’ and ‘Heaven Sent’) sound like Saxon outtakes from their EMI commercial phase and at worst (I mean do I have to spell it out) like something from an 80s Cliff Richard or Chris Rea album. With two tracks added to this reissue (‘Romeo’ 12” B side ‘City Girl’ and the previously unreleased ‘Rock You Endlessly’) the thing that immediately strikes me is whilst it’s rumoured this album was actually recorded as a get out clause for the band Polydor must also have been pushing the band in this much more commercial Bon Jovi/Journey-like direction, and what they actually ended up doing was make Heavy Pettin sound like Skagarack a band already signed to Polydor and hardly a household name either.

So, there you have it folks, (2007’s ‘Prodigal Songs’ unreleased songs collection aside) that’s pretty much the story of Heavy Pettin summed up in three very different albums. They are a band who really should have been huge and who knows if a few business decisions had gone another way they might now be one of the bands vying for a position on Motley Crue’s megabucks reformation tour too.

Author: Johnny Hayward

Buy Heavy Pettin’ Reissues Here

So, the next PROFESSIONALS chapter officially begins, to take the band into 2020.

6 new songs recorded during 2019, will be available to advance order from today (29th November).

The 3 EP’s will be released in January, February and March of the new year. Each EP will feature 2 new tracks plus two live recordings of older material. They’ll be available individually through Transistor Music on CD, limited edition vinyl and super limited edition colour vinyl, or as various bundles with exclusive T- shirts and signed posters. The new tracks are contenders for next year’s October released album, the follow up to the critically acclaimed ‘What In The World’. There’s also talk of adding guests to the new recordings before the release, taking advantage again of Paul Cook’s immense punk rock address book.

Studio time has been booked around the band’s tour with SLF and US dates, where further new material will be put down.

 We have a 2020 vision and hope you’ll all be part of it.

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“a release of intense basic frustration, anger, and aggression, especially that rediscovered by means of primal therapy”.

What better way to release your frustration and anger than at a gig, and what is more Primal than, raw garage rock, alongside a few diversions into other territories, dance, industrial, country and good old raw Rock and Roll, welcome to Primal Scream, one of my fave live entities, always sharp, always intense, always in your face with no punches pulled, hands up who remembers Bobby Gillespie, dedicated ‘Kill all Hippies’ to the massed Glastonbury ranks and not one of them realizing he was taking the piss? Priceless!!

I first caught Primal Scream in Glasgow in 2000 supporting Oasis, just after the release of probably my favourite LP ‘Exterminator’ and I’ve caught them just about every tour since and every time they’ve mutated the sound, changed direction and kept the crowd guessing to what we’re going to get. So tonight for me is a culmination of the last 20 years a set going out under the banner of Maximum Rock and Roll, a best of so to speak happy days.

Openers tonight were a brand new band to me Holy Youth Movement, as far as I can tell not a lot out there to pick up but if tonight’s performance is anything to go by they’ve got the potential to take it to the next level. Grounded in the garage rock sound we know and love, they made a great noise, reminiscent of the rawer side of Primal Scream to be fair, and a great fit, sadly this was the last night on this tour before support bands change over.

On to the main event, and opening with ‘Don’t Fight It, Feel It’ was always going to be a winner for me but to follow it with one of my personal favourite tracks ‘Swastika Eyes’, I could have left then happy. The thing is though with Primal scream they just get better and better as the set moves on, the rush hitting everyone harder and harder, no Little Barrie Cadiogan tonight but Andrew Innes, brought the MC5 influenced raw Rock and Roll sound to the plate, while Simone Butler locked the base down, there was no let up tonight and as the tracks blurred you caught that garage rock and roll underpinning, shaping everything, there were many highlights tonight including the rebirth of Rock and Roll part 2, an inspired ‘Come Together’ complete with a bang up to date Fck the tories, Fck Boris Johnson refrain interspersed in the lyrics, but for yours truly I think the tracks that sent this set into overdrive were a blinding version of Dolls, a jaw-dropping ‘Cry Myself Blind’ and a seriously rocked up version of 100% showing how good the ‘Chaosmosis’ tracks are when given a live slant. And the incredible ‘Kill All Hippies’.
Watching the crowd go mental to ‘Country Girl’, the dedication of ‘Loaded’ to the Super Furry Animals and the encore of ‘Come Together’ before the roof was well and truly lifted with ‘Jailbird’ and ‘Rocks’, 20 years of following Primal Scream nicely rounded off for yours truly. Lets kick off the next decade as usual with a new sound from the Scream (as usual) or maybe a tour playing ‘Give Out But Don’t Give Up’ (The Memphis sessions version complete with brass section) or the 21st anniversary of ‘EXTERMINATOR’ would be a good shout, but as with all things Bobby Gillespie the only guarantee is it’ll be relevant!!!

Signing out “Kill all Hippies!”

Author: Nev Brooks

Acclaimed chronicler of the dark Suzie Stapleton has announced the release of her new single, ‘Thylacine’, and a five-date UK tour. Both herald the release of her highly anticipated debut album, ‘We Are The Plague’, which is due in the spring.

Released on 29 November via AWAL as a digital-only release, ‘Thylacine’ finds Suzie Stapleton in compelling form. Tying in with the apocalyptic themes that inform ‘We Are The Plague’, the new single is suffused with a sense of drama and an ethereal intensity that marks her down as a very special talent. This is music that seduces, compels and haunts.

“When I started writing for this album, I felt a sense of responsibility to address what was going on in the world. We’re bombarded constantly by horrific news, stuck on a broken systemic hamster wheel. I felt stupid writing about my insignificant woes whilst the world burned around me,” explains Stapleton.

Joining Suzie Stapleton’s live band are bassist Gavin Jay from Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind and Yann Tierson drummer Dave Collingwood. The Stranglers’ drummer Jim Macauley brings his talents to the studio.

“I approach the art of recording differently to performing songs live,” continues Stapleton. “There’s energy during live performances that can turn songs into a different beast. I expect that these new songs will evolve and begin to draw breath during these dates.”

Produced by Suzie Stapleton, ‘Thylacine’ and ‘We Are The Plague’ were recorded at OX4 Studios in Oxfordshire and Stapleton’s home studio and were mixed by award-winning engineer Dan Cox, whose previous credits include Thurston Moore’s ‘The Best Day’.

Suzie Stapleton plays:

DECEMBER

07 – Paper Dress Vintage, London

JANUARY

04 – The Carlisle, Hastings
24 – The Brunswick, Brighton
25 – Rough Trade, Bristol

 

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Ryan Hamilton & the Harlequin Ghosts, slowing things down for their new video release ‘Won’t Stop Now’. It’s a song of quiet defiance giving thanks for all the good that music can bring, despite everything the world likes to throw at us. Facebook

‘Won’t Stop Now’ was written during the aftermath of some unspeakably cruel online bullying, which got so bad, Ryan had to get the authorities involved. Native Texan, singer/songwriter Hamilton, thought it fitting that the track be released around the US holiday of Thanksgiving (November 28), given the song’s subject matter.

“The video features footage from the past 10 years of my life”, says Hamilton. “Former bands. Former relationships. I am so thankful for this life and the incredible power music has to get us through the most difficult times”.

The track is taken from the critically acclaimed 2019 album, ‘This Is The Sound’, released on Wicked Cool, the label run by Little Steven/Steven van Zandt (a long time supporter and co-writer of former single ‘Mamacita’).

Reviewed on RPM Online Here

Renowned for their killer live shows, whilst the band look forward to bigger tours and festival appearances in the UK and Europe during 2020, they recently announced their inaugural ‘Holiday Hoedown’ Christmas show, MFN, Nottingham, on December 14. With the intention of making this an annual event, the band have pledged their support to Notts based homeless charity ‘Emmanuel House’ and will be collecting donations of essential items at the show for distribution to local homeless people.

“The UK – and Nottingham in particular has been amazing in its support of our band”, says Hamilton, “this event seemed like the perfect opportunity to give something back to the community”.

The ‘Holiday Hoedown’ will take place at MFN, Shipley Gate, Nottingham on Saturday 14 December.

Tickets are available at: ryanhamiltonmusic.com

London-based independent promotion collective Chaos Theory who celebrate their 10th anniversary with Chaos Theory Festival on Saturday 29th February 2020 at The Dome and Boston Music Room have completed their impressive line-up. 
Joining the likes of the already announced ZU, Teeth of The Sea, Vodun, VASA and Mammoth Weed Wizard are UK doomers Undersmile who will make their official comeback in 2020 and reunite at Chaos Theory Festival. Norwegian noise rock act Årabrot will perform 2 sets at the festival, one featuring music from 2018’s album ‘Who Do You Love’ and the 2nd from this year’s ‘Die Nibelungen’ release, the soundtrack to Fritz Lang’s legendary silent movie, which was originally performed and recorded live at the Tromsø international film fest in 2016.  Completing the line-up are instrumental outfit Nøught, featuring members of Thurston Moore band, Gong, This Is Not This Heat and The Display Team, they fuse rock, jazz & the avant-garde.
Towards Collapse’s takeover afterparty which features U.S breakcore legend end.user have also completed their line-up adding, Shelley Parker, Ecstasphere &, Aphexia, Metalogue and Force Majeure. Chaos Theory Festival founder founder Kunal Singhal comments,
 
‘It’s an honour to announce more bands and producers at 10 Years Of Chaos who have consistently blown my mind over the last decade. Nøught are notoriously busy with their many other projects, so it’s a very special chance to see them together, as they prepare for the release of their first album in twenty years. I’m floored that Undersmile have chosen to reunite and to make their comeback show at the festival; they’ve been missed by a lot of people and we all look forward to their next big steps. I’ve seen Årabrot progress from tiny basement gigs, to touring with Mono and Jo Quail, to a huge show in the Barbican this year, so it’s a privilege that they’ll play two sets with the music from different periods of their back catalogue.
 
Metalogue has made an appearance at several Chaos Theory events in the past, so it will be great to hear his newest post-industrial glitches and beats. The Towards Collapse lineup also features artists Shelley Parker and two projects by producer Ophelia Sullivan, Ecstasphere & Aphexia, as well as local producer Force Majeure. Along with end.user, this is going to be exactly the kind of mindbending danceable lineup that I secretly wish all club nights were like.
We’ve got a generation of artists who’ve been able to listen to the most obscure music from around the world with a few clicks, and have been inspired to create new ideas, techniques and sounds. This day celebrates what we do at Chaos Theory, which is try to show you where to find them. It’s for people who love going to gigs but want to experience something different.’
 
Full line-up for Chaos Theory Festival 2020
 
ZU (UK exclusive)
Teeth Of The Sea
Undersmile (comeback show)
Årabrot (2 sets)
Nøught 
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard
Gold 
Furia (Pl)
Vodun (+ special guests)
VASA (album launch)
Memory Of Elephants
Mai Mai Mai (AV show UK premiere)
Ante Inferno
Lush Worker (Mike Vest, BONG)
David Terry (BONG)
At its core Chaos Theory have worked with musicians of emerging and underground genres and across almost a decade have put on the likes of Darkher, Zu, Lingua Ignota, Black Peaks, Imperial Triumphant, Thumpermonkey, The Fierce and the Dead, Boss Keloid, Vodun, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Casual Nun, Mutiny on the Bounty, Nøught, Telepathy, Jo Quail and Khost. 
Chaos Theory was started as a response to the pay-to-play environment founder Kunal Singhal discovered in London. Now almost ten years on, the Chaos Theory team are gearing up for their biggest ever event with 10 Years Of Chaos at The Dome and Boston Music Room. Tickets are on sale now with more even bands to be announced over the coming months.
Towards Collapse will run the official festival afterparty takeover from 11pm to 3am in Boston Music Room.
Tickets are available now –  Here
 
Facebook event: Facebook

Taken from the bands latest album ‘Kiss Off’, Directed by Håkan Göstas  ‘Six Pack Of Champagne‘ is classic Punk n Roll from Sweden’s finest.  Out on CD featuring a bonus track exclusive and soon to get its vinyl release ‘Kiss Off’ is the first full album from “Demons” in almost ten years.

After a recent chat with Mathias, he commented that there are plans afoot to release a new album in 2020 as well as getting their first unreleased album from 1995 out. It will at the very least see a digital release in 2020 which is exciting stuff.

The band is busy booking shows for next year which happens to be the bands 25th anniversary as well as some festivals and the Japan dates we’ll keep you up to date with the best punk roll band from Sweden at the following links –

KISS OFF on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5sel4AZDtACewB2ZXmqIVC
Alaska Productions online store: https://alaskaproductions.bigcartel.com/
Buy Kiss Off CD: https://glunkrecords.bigcartel.com/product/demons-kiss-off
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/demonssthlm/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_real_demons_official/
Bandcamp: https://demonssthlm.bandcamp.com/

 

Known for their incendiary live shows, Avalanche Party are a feral garage rock 5 piece from the North Yorkshire Moors. Cited by Radio 1 as “the most exciting rock ‘n’ roll band in the UK right now”, singer Jordan Bell and his band of miscreants have a lot to live up to with their debut album ’24 Carat Diamond Trephine’. Their raw, live energy is not at question here, the question is can they transfer that wild, untamed energy from the hot and sweaty UK clubs to record? Let’s drop the needle and turn it up to 11!

Opener ‘El Dorado’ lulls the listener into a false sense of security with its haunting vibes. It creates stark imagery in black and white with stabs of piano and understated harmonica, as singer Jordan Bell croons his lyrics softly, almost spoken word. This murder ballad is a more poetic and cinematic introduction to the album in pure Nick Cave/Warren Ellis style. As an opening track it works perfectly and much better in the context of an album than as a standalone track.
Let’s get one thing straight, this is not a party album, this is a dark and desolate trip, much like the cold and rugged terrain where Avalanche Party reside. Recorded in York last December, it has the ghost of close friend Dale Barklay (The Amazing Snakeheads/As It Moves frontman) all over it. Dale was a big influence on the band in the last few years of his life and his energy is kept alive here.
‘Bugzy’ and ‘7’ follow the opener in quick succession. The former is a 70’s inspired Doors/Stooges groover with added Avalanche eccentricities. The latter, a high octane blast of punk rock noise that captures the feel of an Avalanche Party gig to maximum effect.
‘Howl’ has 70’s glam vibes from the off with hand claps and cool as you like vocalisin’, coming on like early Bowie meets The Birthday Party. A great, anthemic chorus takes things up a level. It’s a good place to be.
Already, this is the sound of a band who are riding the crest of a wave. 5 years of constant touring, honing their craft in sweaty clubs and festival stages all over the world has seen Avalanche Party come of age; it truly feels like this is their time.
But while the melodies and refrains are instant and lasting, it is not an easy listen. This is an album of stark contrasts and sonically seductive moments. To go from the piano led ‘Hey Misdemeanour’ with its haunting female backing vocals and strings n’ things, to the relentless and unnerving ‘Playing Field Blues’ with its stabs of guitar, drums and wailing vocals, and to make it sound like it is just meant to be…this is something truly special and something their contemporaries cannot match.

Props to the rhythm section of Joe Bell (bass) and Kane Waterfield (drums), they absolutely kill it on this record. Falsetto vocals come to light throughout bringing an epic grandiose feel to the likes of ‘Cruel Madness’ and the trashy but pumping ‘Milk And Sunlight Is A Heavy Dream’.
If you were a new band and you had a song like ‘Rebel Forever’ in your arsenal, you would probably open the album with it, but with Avalanche Party you can expect the unexpected. They close the album in style with a song that can outdo Fontaines DC in the “who can sound like Joy Division the most” stakes, and they sign off with an absolute banger. High octane, edgy rock ‘n’ roll noise just the way we like it.

Most bands are at their best on their first album and spend the rest of their careers trying to reach the same dizzy heights. If this is Avalanche Party’s piece de resistance, then so be it. Its early days, but I feel whatever they do in the future, this will be go down in history as their ‘In Utero’, their very own ‘The Holy Bible’. ’24 Carat Diamond Trephine’ is Avalanche Party’s defining moment, and one of the best debut album of the year.

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Author: Ben Hughes

 

Cokie the Clown Limited Edition Throbblehead
Limited to 1000 hand-numbered figures
SHIPPING EARLY DECEMBER
 
**Not guaranteed for delivery by Christmas, although most US customers should be OK***
NOTE: For customers outside of the US, your order will take an average of 4-5 weeks to reach you via economy shipping, which does not have tracking. If tracking is needed, you can upgrade to priority shipping at an additional cost but must email us for details.

Cokie the Clown, Fat Mike’s alter ego, has now been elevated to Throbblehead status.  This figure is limited to just 1000 hand-numbered units, stands at 7″ tall, and is made of a high-quality polyresin.

Re-creating the cover art from Cokie’s first full-length album “You’re Welcome,” this Throbblehead comes complete with noose, squirting flower, and clown shoes.

“Punk rock was never just music to me, it was my life,” says Cokie. “My parents were just relatives, my family was always NOFX.”