“Dark Nights: Death Metal” The Original Soundtrack,
To Be Released by Loma Vista Recordings
Multi-Gold and Platinum-selling punk rock stalwarts RISE AGAINST will see “Broken Dreams, Inc.,” their first new song in three years, and the first as part of a new agreement with Loma Vista Recordings, released today. Produced by Bill Stevenson, Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin, and Chris Beeble, “Broken Dreams, Inc.” is angry, fast and furious punk rock, with ruthless drums, pounding bass, blazing guitar and impassioned vocals. Also released today is the animated/motion comic video for the song that features art from DC’s “Dark Nights: Death Metal” drawn by the series’ artist Greg Capullo.
“Broken Dreams, Inc.” speaks to today’s changing landscape of American society, the opportunities that are available to some but not to others, the people who are able to benefit versus those who get left behind, who suffer and end up as casualties. How do we level the playing field so everyone can have a real chance at attaining the American Dream? Said Rise Against’s vocalist/lyricist Tim McIIlrath, “One word, ‘disruption.’ You have to put power into the hands of the people, not business, you have to value people and community over profit. You can’t have a shareholder-run country or a shareholder-run world, a world that values profit above all else, because profit above all else can result in dangerous repercussions for humankind.”
Rise Against – rhythm guitarist/vocalist McIlrath, bassist Joe Principe, guitarist Zach Blair and drummer Brandon Barnes – is known for its explosive live shows, and its outspoken, socially-conscious lyrics that speak to the mood of our times: the environment, economic injustice, forced displacement, political corruption, voter registration, animal rights, and interpersonal relationships, all delivered with big, chunky riffs and melodic post-grunge hooks. Rise Against has amassed five top 10 albums on Billboard’s Top 200 chart, and six top ten singles on its Hot 100 chart. The band’s gold-certified single “Savior” alone, has accumulated nearly half-a-billion streams.
Hailing from London New Device are a band that embody the grit, attitude and good times of hard rock. Likened and influenced by rock giants such as Guns ‘n’ Roses, Metallica and Alter Bridge, their stadium sound never fails to leave audiences in awe! Without pausing for breath, they have grown as musicians and songwriters. Accompanied by an attitude that draws their growing, loyal fan base ever closer.
2020 has not been easy for anyone in the entertainment industry but New Device at the start were thriving. Lead vocalist Daniel Leigh decided one evening in March to do a live stream on the bands Facebook page, these streams quickly became a main staple and to date he has reached 1.5 million with their music. All was going very well for the band; With the release of latest EP “KARÖSHI”, the band are as strong and creative as ever! This highly anticipated recording is the fourth instalment in a connected series of releases over the past 4 years. The video for lead single ‘Wake Up’ reached 250k within 3 days of its release and plans for a full band live stream were underway.
Unfortunately not long after this the bands Facebook page – with 34k likes and 21k followers – was hacked , one of the members had their personal and professional profiles deleted from social media and it transpired that some unscrupulous hackers had managed to get into the account and monetize it without their knowledge.
This sadly meant that New Device were – and still are – unable to communicate with the majority of their fanbase.
These streams have been a source of comfort and peer to peer support for the dedicated fans of New Device who tuned in nightly for an uplifting hour of music and positive reinforcement from Daniel. The fans and the band were devastated that these may not be able to continue due to the inability to live stream on the New Device page.
With no quick resolution in sight and further ongoing problems due to the hacking means 4 months down the line the page is still not usable. Investigation from Facebook is still ongoing.
With the help of the dedicated fan base and Daniels management team the streams were quickly moved over to his music page – albeit with a large reduction of followers and a completely different demographic.
The constant support of the fans and the positivity and happiness that these streams have given spurred them to be instrumental in regaining some of the reach that the New Device page had. This core fan base has dedicated their time to sharing the streams, telling their friends, and promoting the band at every opportunity they can. Meaning the band are now able to thrive again.
They have been desperate to see the band perform together again and now they are in a position to be able to do just that in a full band live streamed performance this Saturday 19th October. Streamed Live via a private link for ticket holders this show promises to be unforgettable. Filmed in full HD with multiple camera angles it will be giving the viewer a full live experience.
During the 2 hour live show New Device will be performing tracks from all their releases including ‘Karoshi’ as well as showcasing some never before heard tracks from their upcoming album, as well as interviews and a Q&A.
The band are excited to be back together performing this very special show for their fans.
Tickets for this one-off show are available – Here
When two legends join forces it should be something to get excited about. Hype it up baby I say. If you were to mention Radio Birdman or ‘Raw Power’ by the stooges people who know a thing or two about Rock and Roll would pin their ears back and rub their hands at the prospect of the two guitar player making a record together. Following in the footsteps of previous pioneers such as Wayne Kramer and Brian James or the ill-fated union of Johnny Thunders and Wayne Kramer the prospect of James Williamson and Deniz Tek joining forces is a mouth-watering prospect.
Wait no more pop pickers for ‘Two To One’ is here the two legendry six-string players and let me tell you it doesn’t disappoint in any way shape or form.
Sure the opener ‘Jet Pack Nightmare’ is a wall of hard-rockin’ guitars sounding like prime time Thin Lizzy rocking on a garage rock backbeat and no sooner has it hit the speakers are you immediately taken to that place where music fans grin from ear to ear and know that these two are about and they compliment one and other perfectly. Scandinavia has spent decades trading off the work of these two and bands like the Hellacopters owe a huge debt to their skills and now the old dogs are about to teach a few new tricks.
Reading the pair’s mutual admiration for each others work both historically and current is heartwarming and the fact that they both found the time to do this is a real triumph. Williamson’s last foray into the recording world was the most excellent ‘Relicked’ album but that was a whole six years ago! so having Deniz on board was an exciting proposition. The lead track ‘Stable’ sure has that guttural ‘Raw Power’ ‘Kill City’ sludge to it and its begging to be played at volume – where it really excels and sounds best and the inclusion of the one-note piano is a classic touch.
To be fair I was wondering how the vocals would be split and if they had the chops to pull it off. To be fair I don’t know why I doubted either because they stay in their comfort zone and the low almost spoken tones really work to temper the rough edges of some of those raw guitar licks and has an air of reassurance about the vocals throughout the record.
The pair take on subjects like ‘Climate Change’ and are a match for any band making garage rock and roll records in 2020. The enjoyment shines through as does the effortless quality riffs as they fly out of the speakers. Its not all raw power mind, they crack open the melodic, restrained laid back tones for the likes of ‘Take A Look Around’ with some impressive harmonies and the excellent acoustic-driven ‘Small Change’ which add depth to the record not that it would have been boring had it just been eleven driving proto-punk anthems but by the sounds of it this was a well-thought piece of work and not thrown together.
As the album wears on, its the changing of gears that make this record one of the best I’ve heard all year. The restrained build of ‘No Dreams’ and the widescreen lyrics that draw you in are excellent. The closing track ‘Mellisa Blue’ is more Lou Reid than Iggy Pop and by the sounds of it, the pair have taken the time to write a great record and not just live out what people would expect them to be for one last hurrah! The reason these two can still make records like this is that they are great songwriters and their catalogue of music will tell anyone that. It’s not luck, its skill and talent and it’s one of those ideas that came together and just feels right. By the sounds of it ‘Two To One’ is all killer and no filler, maybe the next one can be called ‘One Becomes Two’ what d’ya think? take my advice and just Buy It!
Back in a dim and distant past I began this music reviewing thing and one of the first bands I got to review was a band called “One Soul Thrust” a Canadian band that even had Glenn Hughes guest on the LP, I got to know the band through the magic of the internet and always wondered why with the current surge in rock and metal they never got into the major league, because if you’re a fan of classic rock/metal this should be right up your street. As a front for the band Salem Jones has that classy vocal and after time spent building her range and working with Judy Rodman what we have is an instantly recognizable sound, grounded in a whole range of classic female vocalists.
Now after a long period of Soul searching, the band re-launched through Patreon pulled away from the music business and have produced a better body of work because of it, there’s a real sense of experimentation and downright enjoyment throughout the LP and an almost playfulness with the material presented, almost a fck you to the music mainstream.
Opener “full circle”, leads you in via a cracking guitar riff before we have a very different vocal, Salem leading and sitting on top of the music, before that playfulness is really brought to the fore in “Black Frank”. As we move through the next couple of tracks ‘One true flame” and “Hey Man”, the Lp settles the vocals drawing you in and then you begin to follow that classic guitar sound, understated, supporting the vocal giving a very definite base layering the music.
‘Fight for love” contains a real powerhouse of a vocal, caressing and lulling you into a false sense of security, before the guitar solo’s and your drawn into the body of the track, this is a seriously good ballad, would make a great single!! The chopping and stuttering guitar that drags you into “yes” again really sets the tone and the vocals that flit through the lead again draw on that sense of playfulness.
As we weave our way through ‘The sacred and profane” and “Nitric Oxide” my thoughts are again drifting to why haven’t these guys moved into the mainstream? Or more to the point nowadays do they want to? This LP I think has been their strongest, with the pressure off trying to attain sometimes we really deliver our best. Alongside the musicianship and vocal dexterity, the production really sets the bar high for the classic rock genre. Of the tracks that follow “Hunger and Sweat” contain a great vocal line showing real dexterity, “Golden souls” builds and drives the LP towards an ending, I think this has to become a set closer before final track “Summers over” with its picked acoustic guitar and vocal lead the LP out on a real high.
For all the classic rock fans out there, you really need to give these guys a like on whatever social media platform you frequent, introduce yourself and maybe check out those earlier LP’s, probably the best LP I’ve heard in this genre for quite some time!!!
Given the title of Marilyn Manson’s eleventh studio record you’d half expect it to be an inexorable sonic fist in the face, perhaps even harking back to the fury and anger of his ‘Antichrist Superstar’ days. But think again, because ‘We Are Chaos’ is a body of work designed to challenge and confound listeners, and in fact after numerous listens it actually takes me back to the days of ‘Mechanical Animals’, and a time when screams of ‘SELL OUT’ could be detected from within the more hardcore element of the Manson family.
I suppose discovering that this ten tracker (you get two extra acoustic tracks on the deluxe CD) was being co-produced by Shooter Jennings should have given the more astute Manson fan some indication that that this would be anything but a “by numbers” record (something that perhaps could be levelled at MM’s last two studio records) and on first hearing the acoustic driven title track via the obligatory teaser lyric video I was certainly intrigued to hear more.
Kicking off with the part spoken word ‘Red Black And Blue’ this is without question the most old school Manson sounding track contained herein. The spoken word intro making about as much sense as Manson’s (almost Cantona-essque) press releases these days, it’s not long before the trademark staccato rhythms are banging away at my brain and I can just see the self-styled God Of Fuck screaming his lungs out draped over the lightbox/monitor stage front and centre. Oh, for a live gig though eh?
One of the funniest things I read online in the run up to the album’s September 11th release date was that the title track reminded one listener of an eighties charity single, it’s a comment I simply cannot get out of my head never mind how many times I have subsequently listened to it, so maybe just maybe it is just that, a cry for help in our troubled times, and perhaps something we can all reflect upon.
‘We Chase The Dead’ is up next and this is for me is where the album truly slips into gear, a huge slice of gothic pop, this beauty segues perfectly into the anthemic ‘70s melancholia of ‘Paint You With My Love’ and thus truly submerges you within the qualities of the album as an art form.
This rich vein of songwriting form continues within the Satanic funtime grooves of ‘Perfume’, the prophetic electronic blitz of ‘Infinite Darkness’, which once again touches on the raw Manson nerve endings of old, whilst the down beat ‘Half-Way And One Step Forward’ and ‘Solve Coagula’ perhaps best illustrate what Marilyn means when he says that “shards and slivers of ghosts haunted my hands when I wrote most of these lyrics”.
The epic ‘Broken Needle’ closes things down and this once again acoustic lead track actually has me checking it is Marilyn Manson I’m listening to and not in fact 90s indie rockers Mansun. That’s because like I said at the top of this review ‘We Are Chaos’ is an album that in equal measure will challenge and confound you but thankfully it will not disappoint you.
Oh, and before I sign off, ‘We Are Chaos’ is also a concept album. Good luck figuring that one out.
In this world of Lockdown bereft of live music, who’d have thought it, how many of us are searching the internet picking up on new stuff due out, or stuff in different genres we’d never have contemplated before? With that in Mind I got bounced an email from Church of the Cosmic Skull’s main man Bill Fisher with an invite to join the Billuminati and a link to a mysterious new LP (the one in my title Mass Hypnosis and the Dark Triad). With said LP duly ordered, the first press sold out in under24 hours!!! Really makes you wonder whether record companies are interested in old school promotion in music or is just the endless clicking on streams or downloading single songs for playlists that spark their interest.
As is the want after reading the blurb I was expecting a heavier offspring to the Church of the Cosmic Skull and fair play it’s been duly delivered. Opener “All through the night” took me right back to the 70’s and early Sabbath/Black Widow era, but the vocals link it to the Church inexorably, it’ll hold on to and satisfy the fans of “The church of the cosmic skull, the heavy intense riff overlaid with some great guitar work leading us throughout.
Next up “Mirror of tomorrow”, opens with that down tuned riff that we all appreciate, but heavily distorted evoking some of the heavier elements of Alice in Chains, moving the LP in a very different direction, held in sway by those un-mistakable vocals.
Moving on into “Celador” led through the opening by the vocals, the incessant guitar picking at you before it shifts up a gear, the riff rising and falling building throughout to a crescendo.
“The Dark Triad” again harkens back hitting that intense Sabbath style riff, led by the vocals again guiding you through the song, Then we move into a personal fave “Psychopathy” this is all over the place up a gear, with the bass starting to step in and take a lead, I think this is the song that pulls all the influences together, crystalizes the difference between this solo venture and the main band guitar and solo vocal replacing and leading rather than harmonizing through multiple vocal lines.
“Days of old” moves back into the 70’s picked guitar and solitary vocal producing the soundtrack to a new age of Aquarius, this is the song that will ground the LP holding on to the ethos of Church of the Cosmic Skull. This feeling of the 70’s continues into “Message from the sky” before we move into LP closer “Mass Hypnosis” a much heavier beast but finishing the LP on a real high. If you’re a fan of Church of the Cosmic Skull, get this in your collection, if your not then back track and give them a listen, but make sure you give this LP the time it deserves, Lp’s sell out that quickly for a reason, we’re working through the second pressing now, join the Billuminati!!!!
Paul Collins’ new album with his pioneering power-pop band The Beat, ‘Another World – The Best Of The Archives’ Features 18 previously unreleased tracks from Paul’s personal archives going back to 1978 and the early days of the Paul Collins’ Beat.
Culled from Paul Collins’ personal archives Another World – The Best Of The Archives compiles previously unreleased tracks going back to 1978 and the early days of the Paul Collins’ Beat. All of these songs have been carefully remastered.
Complete with extensive liner notes by the man himself, this is an album for rock & roll lovers everywhere. The vinyl comes with an insert, while the CD version includes a 6-page booklet and 4 bonus tracks, not on the vinyl.
From the opening dampened chords of ‘Hey DJ’ its sunshine Rock and Roll. Whatever mood you find yourself in this guy and his band I guarantee will put a smile across your face and most probably make your toes involuntarily tap. One thing I noticed is the sound is of its time especially the earlier material ‘On The Highway’ sounds like bellbottom denim and a tight leather jacket and one of those oversized ghetto blasters honking out the guitar licks.
Plenty of bands still chase the ability to write songs like these bands like The Speedways have got the X-Factor to pen tunes and melodies like ‘Another World’ but its often left to the originals like Collins to really deliver the goods from the upbeat rockers to the more pop-minded songs like the jangly ‘Lonely Teardrops’ with some lush harmonies.
‘This heart’ is like a lost Dave Edmunds tune jamming out Buddy Holly. You do wonder how these songs were shelved and how lucky we are that they are finally seeing the light of day. Collins crooning on the sparse ballad ‘Baby I’m A Fool’ is fantastic same goes for ‘Witches Fall’ except it comes with added guitar solo and harmonies.
Sure these songs lack the glossy production of a finished studio album but for fans who like to dig deeper than the casual listener its a wonderful insight into what might get left on the cutting room floor and the fact that they’re left bare adds some authenticity to what you’re hearing. Saying that I’d love to hear songs like ‘Girl From New York City’ get the full studio treatment and big modern production. Same for the rockier tunes like ‘Let’s Go!’.
To hear the birth of a master craftsmans work is great. Anyone who loves power-pop should at least give this the once over and see how this stuff is really created.
With a brand new box set ready for release we thought we’d catch up with Boys legend Matt Dangerfield and ask him about his time on Safari Records as we look back on the time the Boys went down to a four-piece and all things Safari. I also ask what’s next for one of the finest bands ever to come out of the United Kingdom.
How was it revisiting the Safari catalogue of releases? Did it bring back fond memories?
Yes it did. Best of all was listening to the “Hell” tracks because this is the first time that it’s sounded good on CD. CDs didn’t exist when the album was released, and later when the first CD version came out it sounded like over-compressed shit. All subsequent CD releases of “Hell” were copied from that CD so I feel sorry for anyone who bought any CD copies of “Hell” prior to this release.
Were there any songs from the ‘To Hell’ record that you have since revisited during remastering changed how you feel about them? I’ll admit I’ve not played the records for a while and when the news came through about the box set I have since given them a good listening to and there are parts of songs that jumped out at me that I feel I previously missed or had forgotten. Was this the same for you?
Very much so. For the reason I just mentioned, I couldn’t bring myself to listen to “Hell” on CD since the last century! So listening to it now for me is almost like hearing it for the first time and it all sounds fantastic from start to finish! We still usually include four of the songs in our live set: “Can’t Hurt a Memory”, “Terminal Love”, “See Ya Later” – and we use “Sabre Dance” as our intro music.
I loved reading your notes along with the specific song playing and was surprised to see you wrote lyrics on the way to the studio, and I chuckled at the thought of it happening due to studio time and schedules, etc did you not ever get worried you wouldn’t come up with anything? Out of this process what would you say were your best lyrics?
Well, that was mainly in the early days when we weren’t given much studio time and I was working on two or three songs at a time. But generally speaking, I’ve always responded well to deadlines and would often leave things until they really need to be done and then work like Hell. There’s nothing like a deadline to focus the mind.
Your notes for ‘Waiting For The Lady’ and the Beatles reference I hadn’t really put it together previously but ‘Independent Girl’ has a real Lennon feel to it. Some of the harmonies throughout ‘To Hell’ have a certain Lennon and McCartney feel is that fair? They were obviously an influence but more so that album (Not that The Beatles would have sounded like you guys they weren’t that good) 😉
Flattery will get you nowhere, but thanks anyway! The backing vocals on “Waiting for The Lady” in particular, were Beatles inspired. But we were inspired by lots of bands and all the music that we grew up within the 60s which was a great era for musical creativity and innovation.
Who Owns The ‘Junk’ tapes now? How complete was the ‘Junk’ album? How does the process go with masters? If you didn’t own them the label did but they didn’t own the songs did they? If they weren’t finished, Could you have gone away – changed a lyric here or a title there and released it anyway? How involved were you with the day to day business of the band and management and label?
The ‘Junk’ tapes are just the rough monitor mixes on cassette from Rockfield Studios that I took away with me to work on ideas, lyrics etc. with the intention that we would come back and complete the album there. But after NEMS didn’t pay the studio and Rockfield wouldn’t release the two-inch tapes, we finally lost our patience with NEMS and went on strike for a few months until they eventually let us go. Our manager, Ken Mewis, generally dealt with the label, promotion and tour bookings, but we took care of the creative and recording side of things.
How do you look back on the time spent On Safari!?
We had a great relationship with Safari, which was basically John Craig and Tony Edwards. Two great guys who did all the right things for us in terms of albums, tours etc and generally looked after us and gave us the freedom to be creative. What more can you ask for as a band?
I always loved the cover of ‘Boys Only’ whose idea was that?
The designer was John Gordon (I fished out the original vinyl copy to get that detail) who was responsible for the concept. All I remember that it was our longest and most tiring photo session ever and took a whole day to get all the necessary pics.
Going out as a four-piece was it ever not going to happen? Did you think around that time that the band was done? What about the recording process, how different was it?
It was different without Cas but we took it in our stride, I knew that the band wasn’t finished and it didn’t feel that much different playing live. Recording was as easy going as ever and John and myself were writing enough songs but we did have to work harder on the backing vocals and harmonies without Cas being there.
Would you say that John recording with Pete Stride made him a more confident writer and bandmember? He brings quite a bit to the table for Boys only and sings on quite a few. How did you decide who sang what? are there versions recorded say of ‘Monotony’ with you delivering a vocal and Duncan or was that never done? because you say he (Duncan) sang it live.
Yes, John had become more confident and also had become a better singer. As regards who sang what, I usually only sang the songs that I’d written or written with Cas, and Duncan usually sang John’s and a few Steel/Dangerfield songs that we thought would suit his voice. I think “Monotony” was only ever likely to be sung by John on record.
You got to record in some iconic studios such as Rockfield, Pye and Olympic were you aware of your surroundings at the time? Was there a favourite? or a particular song you look back on that you really nailed because of where you were. Rockfield had the toilet at the end of the hallway with a mic in the hall did you ever apply such techniques?
Yes, I was definitely chuffed to be using the same studios where some of my favourite tracks had been made. Rockfield/Dave Edmonds/Sabre Dance; Pye/The Kinks etc; Olympic/lots of Stones stuff etc. Rockfield was probably my favourite for its vibe because you also lived there and could totally concentrate on the recording. “Brickfield Nights” was definitely ‘nailed’ there.
When the band gets back to playing live is there a chance some of the more obscure tracks might creep into the set? You mention songs like ‘Little White Lifeline’ and its solo would sound great live.
We sometimes slip in a lesser known track. We do “Lifeline” at acoustic gigs sometimes but without the solo, because even straight after recording that solo, I was never able to play it again.
When you have writing credits say like on ‘Schoolgirls’ Cas yourself and John how do you decide who gets on the credits?
It’s usually decided on the spot – if anyone added anything of substance to the song they’d get credit.
Changing up songs like ‘Kamakaze’ in the style of VU for ‘Jap Junk’ whose idea was that and was this done on any other songs because it’s quite a departure the saxophone is great on the single mix
The minimalist drums were my idea of a tribute to the Velvets, who first opened my eyed to punk, and I think we’d always had it in mind to get a sax on the song.
How many more tapes might there be with the likes of ‘Cry Tomorrow’ on them? Fantastic stuff, maybe another acoustic album is on the cards with some of the rare tunes mixed with the more popular ones you did on the acoustic album. a live acoustic album recorded at Rebellion because a couple of acoustic sets were fantastic from the pubs almost acoustic stage and then the opera house were real highlights?
Well those tapes turned up out of the blue, so who knows what else might turn up. We may consider another acoustic album – it’s a lot easier to make than a full studio album, as is a live album.
The band always did great covers are there any you think would have really suited you guys? Any you worked on that never got recorded? The other side of it is other people covering The Boys. Who have you particularly admired any jump out as doing a great job or really getting what the song was about? Michael Monroe did jimmy Brown and it must always be great when Die Toten Hosen release a covers album and include a Boys Song.
I love Michael’s version of “Jimmy Brown”. I also like the Hosen’s versions of “First Time” and “Brickfield Nights”, and Nicky Sudden’s cover of “Independent Girl”.
The live album sounds fantastic, I’ve always liked the BBC sessions, from some of my favourite bands possibly, because the BBC always had great engineers and their sound recording was top notch and the live ones always sounded so good what are your thoughts on the live album?
Yes, it’s true those Beeb producers and sound engineers were very good and worked very quickly, which really suited us as we generally record fast. I remember that the BBC sound people always seemed to have beards, maybe it was a job requirement.
You illude to it not being your usual audience. The applause sounds great even after the ‘worm song’ their faces must have been a picture.
They were very polite.
I’ve mentioned it to Steve but it would be great to have these ‘Safari’ recordings as a vinyl set I wouldn’t need my glasses then for the booklet which is great to read your memories of each song. Did you ever keep diaries or is it just a sharp knack for remembering. What next for the Boys? Is there anything left in the archive or what about new material. ‘Punk Rock Menopause’ was such a great album is there going to be a follow-up?
We’d love to get them out on vinyl and a lot of our fans would love it so who knows?
“Anyone buying the Box Set directly from The Boys this month (September 2020) will be given a PDF document of Matt Dangerfield’s full Safari notes along with an unreleased 1979 demo of “New Guitar In Town”. For more information email The Boys at info@theboys.co.uk“
Special thanks to Steve Metcalfe for always having The Boys corner and doing a sterling job keeping their flame alive and making running features on them such a pleasure.
From debut album ‘WE ARE THE PLAGUE’ released July 31st
on Negative Prophet Records / Cargo Records
As Autumn creeps through the door, Suzie Stapleton has unveiled a timely new film clip for the appropriately titled track ‘September’. ‘September’ is the fourth single from the Brighton-based artist’s self-produced debut album ‘We
Are The Plague’ which was released on July 31st via Negative Prophet Records. The album, which weaves it’s way through alternative rock to gothic-blues and dark-folk, has been stacking up praise with Stapleton being compared to Patti Smith, Nick Cave, Emma Ruth Rundle, and Mark Lanegan. ‘We Are The Plague’ was voted into Louder Than War’s Top 22 Albums of 2020 So Far in July and tracks from the album have been played on BBC6, Radio Eins,
Double J and more.
Whilst ‘We Are The Plague’ is the defiant call of a generation sold down the river, ‘September‘ takes a more introspective turn. Stapleton’s band – bassist Gavin Jay (who also filmed and edited the video) of Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind and drummer Jim Macaulay of The Stranglers – rumble beneath Stapleton’s driving guitar lines which are reminiscent of an unhinged Thurston Moore. Lyrically Stapleton doesn’t disappoint with a feverish shamanistic outpouring as the song crescendos and her dry-wit shining through with lines such as ‘Muses don’t
get royalties’.
It seems Stapleton is keeping up the pace on other fronts, recently making a cameo on backing vocals on Crippled Black Phoenix’s single ‘Cry of Love’ from their forthcoming album ‘Ellengæst’ . Stapleton also contributes guitar to a Bauhaus rendition on the album which is set for release on October 9th via Season of Mist. Stapleton met Crippled Black Phoenix via their 2014 collaboration on The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project which Stapleton
contributed to whilst still based in Australia.
Stapleton’s next live dates are in February supporting Humanist in London, Manchester, and Brighton.
Suzie Stapleton is touring the UK Feb 2021 supporting Humanist
6th Yes (The Pink Room) MANCHESTER (solo)
8th The Prince Albert, BRIGHTON (full band)
9th The Lexington, LONDON (solo)
BUY TICKETS HERE
TAKEN FROM NEW ALBUM, BLUE HEARTS,
OUT SEPT 25th ON MERGE RECORDS
the latest single from his explosive upcoming album Blue Hearts, which arrives via Merge Records on Friday, September 25th. Pre-orders are available HERE.
Mould released this statement about ‘Siberian Butterfly’:
“The genesis of ‘Siberian Butterfly’ spoke to the notion of “collectors” — people with excessive means who gather the works of creative folk for their ego-driven portfolios.
“As I kept writing, the narrative shifted toward themes of change, growth, and freedom. These motifs are central to how we become our true selves. This is how we begin our journey toward our true identities.
“It’s autobiographical as well. I put myself through some self-hating years as a young gay man — never feeling “good enough”, not recognising the positive qualities I had to offer, while inhibiting the development of my gay identity.
“I hope for a world where all people can be what they want to be. Life seems shorter every day; maybe this simple song can be of use to people who are struggling to find their true selves.”
‘Siberian Butterfly’ is the third song released from Mould’s 14th solo LP, Blue Hearts – and follows the provocative first single ‘American Crisis‘ and the powerful second single ‘Forecast of Rain‘. Blue Hearts is the rawest and most confrontational work of Bob Mould’s four-decade solo career, a raging 14-track collection described by its creator as “the catchiest batch of protest songs I’ve ever written in one sitting.” Produced by Mould at Chicago’s famed Electrical Audio with longtime collaborator Beau Sorenson engineering, the album – which once again features backing from the crack rhythm section of drummer Jon Wurster and bassist Jason Narducy – nods to the veteran singer-songwriter’s groundbreaking past while remaining firmly planted in the issues of the day. Where Sunshine Rock captured Mould at his most “violently happy” (according to Rolling Stone), Blue Hearts is both seething and pointed, the raging yin to the previous album’s positive yang. Acoustic opener ‘Heart on My Sleeve‘ catalogues the ravages of climate change, while ‘American Crisis’ – written initially for Sunshine Rock but deemed “too heavy” by its writer – spits plainspoken fire at the people who fomented this catastrophic moment in history, while ‘Forecast of Rain’ questions the ethos of American community: “This love this neighbour thing: Does it apply to all mankind, or only those who fit neatly inside your narrow lines?”
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