HRH announce two more bands for 2020

HRH announce two more bands for 2020

Two legends from the British punk era – TV Smith and the Bored Teenagers & GBH have been added to HRH Punk 2 Line-up – with only 80 pairs of tickets left – plus this year’s HRH Punk Anarchy in Sheffield video documentary is now on Amazon Worldwide TV!

Heading to Sheffield for 2020 are TV Smith and the Bored Teenagers, featuring the legendary frontman of British punk pioneers The Adverts.  TV Smith has been lauded as one of the leading singer-songwriters to emerge from the punk era, and also fronted bands such as Cheap and TV Smith’s Explorers.

Also added to the already incredible line-up are the hugely influential GBH.  Not only were they front-runners in the punk scene from their inception in 1978, but they have also led the way for metal bands too such as Bathory.  The core of the band remains in-tact with both Colin Abrahall (vocals) and Colin ‘Jock’ Blyth (guitar) being ever-present right up to the current line-up.

Get your tickets Here

As if that wasn’t enough for the HRH Punk faithful – today sees the launch of the video documentary HRH Punk – Anarchy in Sheffield!

HRH are Europe’s leading residential festival promoter, when they were tasked with doing an HRH Punk event, anything and everything could happen – and it did. For lovers of ‘76 punk and beyond, this is the first punk documentary on Amazon – join some punk heroes llve and behind the scenes with nearly 4000 fans who had it all at Anarchy in Sheffield where we hear it, see it and feel it, straight from the horses mouth.
Available now : Here

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Red Arms – Critical State (Yeah Right!)

Red Arms – Critical State (Yeah Right!)

I can’t remember where or when I first heard Red Arms it might well have been one late night when I vanished down a Bandcamp wormhole and just happened across ‘Better Than Nothing’ the second track on ‘Critical State’. Maybe the first thing I noticed was they were Canadian and to be fair they throw up more than their fair share of great records in recent years.  Post punk, Power pop or alt rock  whatever you want to call it  Red Arms dish it up in spades and have made a most excellent long player.

I’ll level with you I don’t know anything about the band when I went looking for details and previous work I struggled to find anything  so it was a real discovery for me .I hear some Husker Du and The Who as well as more modern alternative bands like some Buffalo Tom and Anti Flag as well for good measure so a real melting pot but the production is bright and the songs sound well constructed and worked on. The album kicks off with ‘Post Punk’ which has something of a Stooges riff and rhythm about it and to be fair its more No Means No or Fugazi than anything else.  Its got energy for an opener and it’ll reel you in for sure. As the record unfolds the songs tend to settle down to mid paced efforts but with strong melodies and harmonies take ‘All This Noise’ as an example.

‘Midwinter’ builds around a bass rumble but a bit of an epic as the first minute takes its time to get going but by the second minute things get rockin’.  To be fair the second half of the album only gets stronger for me and I love the groove they get in on  ‘Pathetic Charms’. If you like a thumping bass rumble then ‘Huckster’ is for you before it starts thrashing around it ebbs and flows through some tempo changes.

To be fair I hear different influences on every play but they’ve managed to create a really listenable sound with a bunch of top tunes. Red Arms are another fine string to Canada’s impressive bow of Rock and Roll bands strutting their stuff this being immersed in the alternative underground but full to bursting with excellent melodies and tunes.  Go check em put but don’t hold me responsible for starting you off down that wormhole of discovery but it will be worth it.

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Author: Dom Daley

RPM Online at the movies – Pick It Up! – Ska In The ’90s

RPM Online at the movies – Pick It Up! – Ska In The ’90s

When does a genre of music become overground?  How many records do you need to sell to stop being underground?  All questions plenty of genres deal with day in day out and year in year out.  From the origins of Ska to today there have always been plenty of bands skanking it out.  Politics or just goofy misfits acting out Ska covered it all.

‘Pick It Up! Ska In The 90s’ just about covers a whole scene with the movers and shakers playing their part and covering the story in detail.  A thoroughly enjoyable movie that gives the back story and takes on all comers using the people who were in the trenches from Tim Armstrong narrating to No Doubt being included along side the big players from The Specials to Operation Ivy to Reel Big Fish and Blink 182 right up to today’s players like Aimee Interrupter.

Focusing on the 90s explosion this film is a great two hours of musical education thats a comprehensive coverage.  Regardless of if you like or love or can’t get into it at all its a really engaging flick. I particularly like how fondly and honestly the main players talk about the scene.  When it went from the top of the scene right back down to going underground its a great story and the flow is really good.

As far as music films go its watchable and informative cramming a hell of a lot of detail into just over an hour and a half its great to see the likes of Roddy Radiator getting screen time to tell his story alongside how No Doubt broke out they give props to the likes of Operation Ivy through to Rancid and their contribution.  who knew Goldfinger played 385 shows in a single year! Amazing stuff.

Someone describes it as like a pendulum swing and I like that because its spot on from grunge to ska punk to nu metal back to rock to indie and back round again.  the endurance of some of the bands like The Slackers and Rancid has no doubt helped bands like The Interrupters and Bar Stool Preachers who are coming through and will be the next generation to challenge the BossTones and thats cool and as it should be and to see The Specials and Neville Staples filling halls in 2019 is awesome.

Check this film out its like a ray of sunshine in dark times and the soundtrack is really really good. Put on your pork pie hat and get skanking you know you want to.

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The Black Halos reunited with original songwriting team, release new single & announce reunion shows in 2020

The Black Halos reunited with original songwriting team, release new single & announce reunion shows in 2020

Canadian punk legends, The Black Halos, are back! Original members Billy Hopeless, Rich Jones, and Jay Millette have reunited and are joined by the rhythm section of Danni Action and John Kerns (of Juno award winning Age of Electric). The two songs on this single will remind fans of their first two albums on Sub Pop Records. Not only were they recorded with the original song writing team, but they once again contracted legendary producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Sound Garden) to mix the production. Singer Billy Hopeless says of the songs, “At the beginning of any grande production it is important to establish where the players are and what situation they are involved in. The term reincarnation derives from latin, meaning entering the flash or something new from the past. Both these terms fit this reintroduction of the Black Halos next chapter.”

 L I V E

February 7 @ Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver BC

February 8 @ Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver BC

May 2020 @ Canadian Music Week, venue TBA

The Black Halos are best known for their album “The Violent Years”. The album earned them extensive radio play including a Top 20 single in Canada with Some Things Never Fall and saw them play notable festivals like Warped Tour, Edgefest, SXSW, CMJ, and The Kerrang Awards in the UK. The video for Some Things Never Fall saw regular rotation on both MTV in the United States and Much Music in Canada. The album went to the top of Canada’s Earshot Campus Radio Charts and was on heavy rotation at notable U.S. radio stations like WFMU, KLXA and KEXP.

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The Good The Bad And The Zugly – Algorithm & Blues (Fysisk Format)

The Good The Bad And The Zugly – Algorithm & Blues (Fysisk Format)

It’s always a good day when The Zuglys drop a new record of any description.  A bunch of Oslo natives kicking out the jams on their terms – dancing only to their own tune GBZ as we like to call them, are a force of nature and you need to let them into your life it must be pretty empty without them, that’s all I can assume? Besides I’m declaring right here right now that this is the finest Deathpunk album since ’98s ‘Apocalypse Dudes’ which is quite some gap.

Album number four (or five if you include the compilation of early releases) it would be fair to say that Zugly are one of the best-kept secrets in all of punk rock land.  How? Fuck knows is often a few words we use to describe the phenomena or just that people generally haven’t got a clue what’s good for them.  Over the next few paragraphs, I’m hoping to either put you off music for life or help persuade you to click the red words below and go investigate this band of maverick noisemakers.

Right, let’s do this. ‘Algorithm & Blues’ contains thirteen songs of varying levels of intensity mostly stressful full-on in your face punk rock Oslo style without compromise or a hint of wanting to conform to reach a wide audience of nodding dogs who wouldn’t know a good tune from a puddle of piss. The opening track is ‘Welcome To The Great Indoors’ which is nice. It begins with some Angus like scales working out up the fretboard before the rhythm section joins in building up to the crunch point then bosch! We’re off as the guitars pin you to the back of your seat and we’re careering downhill at a frantic rate of knots.  Fuck this is how to kick off your album. Ivar Nikolaisen leads the charge with his uncompromising vocals and what a thrilling four minutes that was.

 

Forget Turbonegro and Kvelertak this is how to rock out 2020 style.  this is where the bar gets set, these are the leaders and others will just have to follow, simples. ‘Fake Noose’ is intense and has a really haunting melody through the vocals it’s like audio crack it’s that addictive but then when you tackle the subject of elected dying and going to Switzerland to do it its gotta be a little intense right?.  The quality charge continues as ‘Staying With The Trouble’ is up next with its triumphant guitars and pop-savvy melody on those backing vocals its a lighter side of The Zuglys for sure. Have they finally decided to sell a little of their soul for success and chart acceptance?

 

After the slight interlude of ‘Follow Your Dreams’ were right back at it hammering away on ‘Kings Of Inconvenience’. ‘The Man Behind The (Oxygene) Mask’ is the Zuglys on top of their game it’s bold, it’s grand, it’s epic. It gallops from the off (no great shock there to be fair) but the melodies happening are fantastic and the more you play these songs the more things jump out you didn’t notice on the last play and this song is one of the best examples of that. Remember what you thought when you first heard Turbo knock out ‘Apocolpse Dudes’ well, this is like that.

 

‘Fuck Life…But How To Live It’ is hardcore heaven. Uncompromising and just full of boundless energy like the Beastie Boys tackling early Black Flag. The second single off the album ‘Corporate Rock’ is anything but.  Hounding out fake bands with a huge riff that belted out like a 30lb hammer landing on your temple. I’m standing firm behind these boys they know the score!

 

‘The Kids Are Alt-Right’ is tackling the hot potato of today’s global politics but I hope they’re wrong on this one I hope that Hope Not Hate prevails and the Kids are alright and our children don’t head down a wormhole of Trump and tory hate for anyone and everything except money and not 90% are nihilists.  C’mon Oslo’s finest offer us some hope?  whilst there is a darkness I have to believe the kids are generally all right.

 

Blimey, for some light relief from the last one ‘Fuck The Police’ raises the alarm, Doh! bollocks lets go with them. Use the intro to inhale then prepare to enter the pit as the intensity escalates. “Fuck, Fuck Fuck the Police” if you can’t beat them join them. That my friends is pretty much where we get off this trip except for ‘Requiem’ and its one last hurrah!  Rounding off an absolute belter to kick-off 2020.  The Good The Bad And The Zugly are everything you want them to be they make you think, Smile, Laugh, break things, give yourself over to the noise they make, be grateful you have them in your life and you also have impeccable taste in hardcore punk rock and roll Oslo style.

 

As they said it themselves on this record “Don’t tell me that the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon” Go The Zuglys I’m rootin’ for you to break on through.  Let’s make this go overground! Just go Buy it! it’s because you’re worth it!

Buy Algorithm & Blues Here

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Author: Dom Daley

The Urban Voodoo Machine – Friends And Family (Gypsy Hotel Records)

The Urban Voodoo Machine – Friends And Family (Gypsy Hotel Records)

 

Seventeen songs in an hour reworked with a bunch of their friends guesting on a song each what a genius idea.  It features over eighty musicians from around the globe making it one hell of a logistical project calling in Friends from as diverse projects as Vic from The Slackers through Jim Jones (not quite a stretch granted) the son of Dave a Crash Test Dummy and previous work colleagues such as Wilco Johnson.  A truly epic and exciting undertaking but something I expect to truly show off the songwriting talents of Paul- Ronny and his band of ne’erdowells and zombie drummers.

The album gets underway with The Great Malarky tackling ‘Orphans Lament’ and putting a twist on the tune but keeping it totally Gypsy like so were eased in gently. whereas Jim Jones takes ‘Killer Sound’ in an altogether dark place with that piano sounding truly terrifying in its sparse run but as you might expect Jim puts in a stellar performance and incidentally he plays everything on his version which deserves a mention and a tip of the hat to him – exceptional stuff and someone that clearly gets what UVM are all about.  What a brilliant performance of a menacing song.  The Future Sound Of London asked Jesus for help and knocked out a wonderful ‘Help Me Jesus’.

One of my Favourite UVM songs (certainly live) would have to be ‘High Jeopardy Thing’ and Dr Will & The Wizards drag it through the swamp then shine it up not as good as the original for sure but it’s all about the interpretation and its good.  Whilst the delta blues thang gets turned up with ‘Bucket Of Blood’ from Son Of Dave for what is a truly bourbon-soaked bop n stroll for sure. the last couple of tracks have embraced the UVM mantra and run with it even if they’ve both headed off down to that crossroads and traded their souls for a shot at these tunes.

As for my favourite Urban Voodoo Machine song that can change depending on what time of day it is but I guess there are some I gravitate towards no matter when what or where and hearing these interpretations has twisted my melon man and put a new spin on the songs for sure. Tigre Blanco take ‘rusty Water’ somewhere I wasn’t expecting it to go.  Whilst Ledfoot takes ‘Emptiness’ into the void and in a strange way makes it warm and comforting.

To be fair none of these artists or songs they’ve chosen was ever going to make synth pop out of what they had to work with and for the most part, its around the mantra of Bourbon soaked Gypsy Blues Bop ‘n’ Stroll and what a creative and inspirational bunch of people have come together around the Gypsy Hotel and from the original germ what a community that now exists making wonderful sounds in all directions The Broadway Twisters smash it up on one of my favourite tunes and play a pretty straight rock n roll ‘Cheers For The Tears’ which goes to show you don’t have to dissect and reconstruct a tune sometimes just rip it up baby!

I particularly like TV Smiths take on the classic ‘Goodbye To Another Year’ and his cheeky inclusion of an extra verse well done that man – he clearly gets it. Then back to back that full-fat version with the beautiful and touching  ‘Loretta’s Lament’ performed by Katherine Blake to send a shiver down your spine.  Wait, Los Plantronics turning up the disco surf for ‘The Theme for The Urban Voodoo Machine’ oh look if you know you know.  Los Plantronics should be the music played over every tannoy in every supermarket the world over it would certainly make the experience more enjoyable (pitch that to the supermarkets)

To finish off we have the single ‘Heroin (Put My Brothers In The Ground) where Wilco does his thing all over this very different version than the one that was cut on the ‘In Black ‘n’ Red’ album and showing the versatility in the songwriting because its quite different to the other version included on this very album. which only leaves ‘Dirty Water’ to close off the album in fine style with The Inmates kicking up a shit storm as they sign off this love letter to old London town and all who sail in her.  Well done whoever pulled this together, its a testament to those who know and a better late than never to those just jumping on board.  ‘Friends & Family’ is an absolute blast from the first to the last it’s bursting with passion and talent and if you ever had a doubt then forget that just get out there and get it and whilst your waiting – get a bottle of plonk and a shot of bourbon and get ready to bop n stroll! majestic stuff indeed.

 

 

Buy ‘Friends And Family’ Here

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Author:Dom Daley

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

Duff McKagan releases a video for ‘Cold Outside’. A great song with a greater message.

Take Action – Enter To Win A Signed Fender Bass – Share/Volunteer/Donate today via Propeller: Here

Follow Duff: Facebook  Instagram Twitter

Seeing as its Christmas why not enjoy a couple of Christmas choons starting with Michael Monroe and his inclusion on this Crimbo classic from Saara Aalto

Finally to get you all in the mood here’s a banger from The Breakdowns ‘Christmas Time Alone’

WONK UNIT TOUR THE UK IN DECEMBER AND RELEASE ‘LOVE IN CHAPAN’ CD/DVD/LP LIVE ALBUM VIA CADIZ MUSIC/PLASTERER

WONK UNIT TOUR THE UK IN DECEMBER AND RELEASE ‘LOVE IN CHAPAN’ CD/DVD/LP LIVE ALBUM VIA CADIZ MUSIC/PLASTERER

 

Wonk Unit, the unique punk phenomenon born out of the South London town of Croydon, are seeing 2019 out in style and with a smile, with a UK tour in December and a live album ‘Love In Chapan’. Recorded live at Wonkfest, the bands now legendary annual festival event at The Dome, North London on the 1st of July 2017, the album captures the very essence and heart of the Wonk Unit live experience and sound.

“I’d sat on the recording of ‘Love in Chapan’ for over a year before I listened,” explains explains frontman Alex Johnson. “Live recordings are always so bad right. It was gonna be a job to get mixed which I’d been putting off. So, from the get-go I’m blown away by just how good the desk mixes were. It’s near impossible to capture the energy of a live gig and I found myself pumped. Legit pumped. These didn’t even need mixing! Wonkfest 2017 was unique. A first for Wonk. The first time we’d got the whole band together to gig. My sister on stage, my mum was even there. Turn this up loud, it’s ferocious. We could have mixed it but that kinda defeats the object. A lot of “live” albums are bullshit. Overdubs and overplays and fake audience. We left all the mistakes in, cut a bit of my waffle and mastered it. It’s the perfect Wonk gig, captured for your living room. We even done commentaries on the dvd. No one is safe.

Nice little package this. All our videos with commentaries too. Essential Wonkness this xx

The roots of Wonk Unit stretch back to 1992 with a band called The Flying Medallions who were young, dumb and up for fun, courting chaos and controversy at a time when punk was very much dead in the UK. Wonk Unit formed in 2005 and have since created their own ever-expanding peerless world of sound, colour, art and friendship.

 

Catch Wonk Unit live at the following dates:

 

11th The Parish, Huddersfield

12th Trillians, Newcastle

13th Broadcast, Glasgow

14th Generater Live – Dundee

15th The Gaunt, Lancaster

 

Find Wonk Unit and future live dates here:

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Order ‘Live In Chapan’ Here:

The Cavemen – Night After Night (Slovenly Records)

The Cavemen – Night After Night (Slovenly Records)

Probably the sleaziest band on the planet right now taking on all comers and turning up the fuzz and writing essential Rock and Roll at every turn. These cats are the alpha males of dirty garage rock and roll and I’m saying right here from the off that had this bad boy not been released so late in the year it would have steamed into the top ten with ease.

They’ve been causing trouble since 2015 and now reside in the seedy underbelly of London Town after escaping their native New Zealand to reach a wider audience.  If you’re asking me what do they sound like well, they play dirty filthy punk rock ‘n’ garage real old school fuzzed-up garage Rock n roll like Iggy ‘n’ Ron used to play with some Brain James licks thrown into the mix They’re wild and reckless like Ron ‘n’ Wayne played in the MC5.  They stole from Lux and Ivy and they took it all and consumed the lot and became The Cavemen. When ‘Snakeskin’ bursts through the speaker I can sit back and take it all in as the fearless foursome just kick the living shit out of their Rock and Roll and sling in some well-timed cliched guitar licks for good measure. But wait, ‘Boyfriend’ even with its fuzzed guitar-slinging and bad boy lyrics its got rhythm and handclaps it’s like the Ramones badly-behaved cousins who just drink beer and fight have turned up and this time they’re getting serious.

Man, I thought it was impossible for these cats to get any better then they turn up with an acoustic guitar and throw out ‘I Don’t Know Why’.  Its a bit soppy maybe it’s their age or they’ve run out of spite and bile and its time to settle down. what a tune but wait, agh! normal service is resumed as ‘Can’t Resist’ is spat out like only a bunch of angry young men can do.

The title track is like a dirty filthy power-pop ditty with great backing vocals it would seem the Cavemen have stolen Los Pepes crown for penning rapid chunks of garage power pop. ‘Night After Night’ is a banger from its Jam like chord changes and bass thump to the melodic chorus and Bv’s and uptempo pace these guys are on fire!

They take it back down and dial back into the acoustic-electric Ramones theft of ‘Belgian Holiday’ because this could have fallen off the back of ‘End Of The Century’ easily. (Minus the Spector wall of sound obviously) “oooh, I wanna Be Your Boyfriend” who cares anyway The Ramones stole it anyway.

‘Slave’ sounds like Jim Jones having a blast on some 70s glitter but the trashy glitter that the Dolls peddled.  But there’s so much going on within this record, the variety of tunes and the change of gears is a masterstroke. Of course, the songs pretty much hover around the two-minute mark so they’re never going to get boring that’s a given.

the two singles that they’ve made videos for show how varied they get and how strong the melodies are.  ‘Knife fight’ is rapid and a lot of fun whilst ‘Are You Lonely?’ delves further back into the 60s for their inspiration before blasting off toward the album’s conclusion and the penultimate track sounds exactly how you’d imagine someone like The Dead Boys would sound if they were just starting out in 2019 – exciting – energetic – confident and essential. Which leaves their stab at slide filled cowboy rock and roll ‘Death Will Never Change’ which just about wraps up a stunning record.  A headfuck of an album that will leave you reeling – one that kicks you then gives you a hug and shares its beer with you but only if you’re 100% in.  Me I’m there. Someone get me a beer I’m going back in, ‘Night After Night’ is a crazy roller coaster ride of Rock and Roll unoriginal as shit but fuck me it sounds so damn good!

Buy ‘Night After Night’ Here

Author: Dom Daley

 

Motorhead – 1979 (Sanctuary Music)

Motorhead – 1979 (Sanctuary Music)

Although the three classic Motorhead members of Lemmy, Eddie and Philthy have all sadly now passed, they made enough of a revolutionary racket to ensure that it would take a lot more than death to silence the cosmic mayhem they began to create at the tail-end of the 1970s. It seems incredible that 2019 marks a full 40 years since the legendary trail blazers released their incendiary Overkill and Bomber albums: two full-length records that would change the shape of rock and metal music thereafter. And to think that Ace of Spades was still yet to be released.

So much has been said about Motorhead that it hardly seems necessary to go over too much old ground here. Their impact and influence are indisputable. Their uncompromising reputation infamous. They truly were the epitome of rock and roll rebellion. Lemmy once said that “[w]hen Motörhead leaves, there will be a hole there that just can’t be filled. That’s fine with me; it means I’ve achieved what I set out to do – which was to make an unforgettable rock ‘n ’roll band.”

Unforgettable they certainly are. And the passing of Lemmy has done little to halt not only the re-releases of records, but also all manner of junk products officially associated with the band. It’s hard to imagine a Motorhead lawnmower getting official approval if Lemmy was still here, but who knows. Amongst all the releases of dildos, alcohol and whatever else, we now have welcome re-issues of Overkill and Bomber all wrapped up in a deluxe boxset.

Aside from two classic albums, pressed here on 180g vinyl created from the original master tapes, the set also includes two double-live albums of previously unheard concert material from the 1979 tours. A 40-page period-accurate ‘music magazine’ featuring unseen photos and fresh interviews regarding the era. The Rest Of ‘79 vinyl, featuring B-sides, outtakes and rare tracks. No Class 7” single with gatefold art. The Bomber tour programme. Overkill sheet music book, and a ‘79 badge set.

All of this glory comes wrapped in a kind of small leather jacket box, if you like that kind of thing, and if you think it’s at all necessary. And how much will all of this set you back? Well, around a very un-Motorhead price of 150 quid. And if that isn’t enough for you, there are various other bundles and extra merch you can spend your money on.

There is no doubt that the Overkill and Bomber albums sound as fierce and fantastic as they always have done. They truly are astounding records from a significant era of rock and roll music, and illustrate the true birth of one of Britain’s most recognisable rock bands. And the addition of photos, live albums and extra song packages are also welcome. But unless you’re a completest with a well-paid job and a penchant for novelty packaging, it’s hard to imagine you’ll be dipping into your pockets for this one. But by the time you read this email, Motorhead might be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that Lemmy notoriously hated. So, who knows.

Author: Craggy Colyde

Buy Motorhead 1979 Here