Rebellion Festival – Blackpool, Winter Gardens – 4th-7th August 2022

Rebellion Festival – Blackpool, Winter Gardens – 4th-7th August 2022

Sunday

Is it really Sunday already? We’re only just warming up. Having taken a measured approach to this years post covid proceedings we’ve reached the final day and our party of scribes have eased back on the beers and late nights and are raring to go for one last push.

After another of those exceptional breakfasts, it was straight into the Arena to catch the excellent Thee Acid Tongue hoping that the sound we had witnessed for The Chisel was an isolated incident but sadly once again it was volume over any definition and it really hindered front of house sound. Gone was any subtlety in the guitar sound and it was almost a single low-end blast with the vocal becoming an ear-shattering hum which is such a shame because there were five of us hoping to catch the band live for the first time all agreeing that the sound did them dirty. Note to self (please can they play next year with a good mix – thank you) The band clearly had energy in their performance and if they had a good onstage mix it wasn’t the case out front – shame that because they have some really top tunes so I’d love to have to opportunity to watch them next year on the Pavillion stage chopping out those top tunes they have.

Whilst mulling over the sound in the Arena we headed to the Casbah for some of The Insane at the Casbah where they were playing their first gig in 40 years and the track ‘El Salvidor’ stood out next to their cover of the classic ‘Chinese Rocks’ now every year we like to predict how many bands soundcheck their guitars to the opening riff of ‘Sonic Reducer and how often we get to hear it played this year we had to wait until the final day to hear it even once which must show how the festival is evolving and talking of evolving we now head back to the Literary stage for some chatter that matters and another unique feature of Rebellion.

That was half twelve mid-day but we’re not going to moan about it (too much) we have a busy schedule and we’re onto the next. The Literary stage for some Jeff ‘Stinky’ Turner and his no hold barred stand up. In the brand new conference center that housed the art displays and a moving wall of remembrance, it was also kitted out for interviews and stand up which is where we found ourselves along with plenty of others. With not a single spare seat Turner was to talk us through the life and crimes of a Reject and his firm of equally unhinged nutters. Now, the lead throat of The Cockney Rejects Jeff Turner has wandered through life ducking and diving and along the way upset and been loved by equal amounts of people I’d imagine. I found myself giggling and belly laughing as he doesn’t hold back regaling us with horror stories of touring with the Rejects and growing up in the East End and along the way dismantles many celebrities along the way mainly for faking it and not being stand-up people if you’ve not seen Stand up and be counted then I suggest you do so, partly as a cautionary tale and partly because Jeff is a funny guy and I’m sure he would forgive me for saying this but I find myself laughing with and at him, what a life! He’s honest and keeps it real and when talking about his beloved ‘ammers he chokes back the tears which was wonderful to see and hear as the real human side came out but obviously I can’t condone some of his more violent stories but it was what it was and Jeff owned his darker side along with his warm and caring side which also came through. To be honest the literary stage was packed with awesome turns today from Billy Bragg and Alvin Gibbs to Stuart Pearce the footballer , Steve Diggle and Tom Robinson its a shame I couldn’t stay here all day it would have been fascinating and another wonderful side to this festival that makes it so unique.

Where was I? oh yeah, damn you Jeff Turner making me laugh meant I missed my visit to the pavilion to watch The DeRellas who went down a storm from a few people we spoke to who attended the performance which didn’t help. So many things to see so little time and soooo many clashes.

Anyway, where was I? Our schedule was now in the bin as choosing between who to see and where we were supposed to be was now futile so I missed the almost acoustic performance from Dave Sharp interviews with Alvin Gibbs and Steve Diggle. Buzzcocks outside at R Fest and The Avengers in the Empress. it was time to assess who what where and when so it was Chelsea in the Empress as Gene led the band through a solid set kicking off with a sprightly ‘Evacuate’ and an impressive ‘War Across The Nation’ before finishing the set with the classic ‘Right To Work’. We then maneuver ourselves across the Winter Gardens for former Misfit Doyle who is in the Casbah and was also the first act to take twenty minutes to get onstage which was disappointing. It was a well-choreographed thrash fest from the former misfit and his band who did the whole punk/metal thing as well as expected with frontman Alex Story prowling the stage like a madman helping pass half an hour before we headed back to the Empress for the mighty UK Subs.

It was now the final straight for us this year and we nestled ourselves down the front to witness another fantastic set from Charlie and the boys. They treated the packed Empress to a tight – no fuss – zero bullshit, rapid best-of set that took in UK Subs classics such as ‘I Live In A Car’, ‘Down On The Farm’, and the sing-a-long that has become the subs anthem ‘Warhead’. It’s been a while and the Subs are masters of playing Rebellion and what is required of the established bands and their back catalogue.

There were a few moments during the set that encompassed everything that is held special about the band where crowd surfers caught the eye of Alvin, Carlie, and Steven and it seemed to spur them on and raise the already volcanic temperature even higher creating one of those moments and Charlie fuckin up the lyrics here and there much to the amusement of Steven and Alvin its these glimpses into a world where Charlie has sung ‘Barbies Dead’, ‘Limo Life’ and ‘Emotional Blackmail’ a bazillion times yet caught in the moment it can and does happen. The Subs have become something of an institution and Rebellion stalwarts deserving of their elevation up the bill and on the biggest stage. Tonight they were fantastic, they gave the fans exactly what they wanted and some and provided a real weekend highlight for me -long live the UK Subs.

We decided to zig-zag our way back to the Casbah to catch NYC hardcore legends the Cro-Mags for their set but without John Jospeh I can’t help but feel the intensity and performance was missing something. With him prowling the lip of the stage leaving Flanigan to get on with what he does would have been something to behold. However, the set kicked off with a thunderous ‘We Gotta Know’ and that intensity was raised for ’20/20′ but it was a ten-song set that featured four tracks from the classic ‘Age Of Quarrel’ album. It was great to catch them finally. Get em back in the Arena (with a good sound) alongside Sick Of It All, Bloodclot, Stigma and Agnostic Front and I’ll get in training right now, that would be insane. If only eh Hardcore fans?

Right, this was it one final hurrah! Empress Ballroom for Stiff Little Fingers then the hell outta dodge and the nine-hour bus trip from hell home haha! Again the Empress is packed to the rafters for this performance and again SLF didn’t disappoint. Covid might have delayed and derailed their anniversary celebrations but tonight the band was determined to make up for those lost couple of years and the Empress was about to join them for a huge celebration. Opening with the awesome ‘Suspect Device’ followed by ‘At The Edge’ this was shaping up to be an awesome set already. No bullshit nor fucking about it was down to business and hit after hit rattled off the balcony and around this cavernous and beautiful venue. ‘Nobody’s Hero’ followed by ‘Roots, Radics, Rockers, Reggae’ sounded fresh and as we headed through ‘Strummerville’ towards ‘Gotta Getawy’ it was time for the no-encore encore and a final salvo of ‘Tin soldiers’ followed by ‘Alternative Ulster’ and the band left the stage to rapturous applause and another fantastic Rebellion Festival set. Me I was soaked through and done. My body battery was registering extreme lows and another year was over and an exceptional four days of friends, fun, fantastic music, and everything besides was locked into the goldfish-like memory bank. We discussed highlights of which there were many, regrets of bands we missed and simply couldn’t see, and discussed next year’s wish lists of who should be added to what still is the best punk and alternative festival on the planet. Adios amigos same time same place next Year? Fuckin’ right it is…

If I could be so bold and suggest some bands for next year I’d love to see a return of Clowns from Australia and whilst their at it maybe pack a flight from down under and get Grindhouse, Civic, Stiff Richards, the cosmic Psychos, Coffin on board just for good measure. I’d also get The Lords Of The New Church with Michael Monroe into headline one night there are a plethora of great UK bands we need to see play from The Hip Priest, Deathtraps, Black Bombers, Continental Lovers and Rough Gutts to some from the States like Wyldlife from NYC, Guerilla Teens and about a hundred more I could name but maybe some will be entertained and make Rebellion 2023 better than this year’s event. So without further waffle RPM Online would like to Thank Rebellion Festivals for what must be a terrifying experience yet equally rewarding, James Sherry @ Division PR, Stu Taylor at the Rebellion merch table and all those who put in the hard yards behind the scene and of course all the bands, stall holders and staff at Winter Gardens & R Fest for another truly unique yet excellent festival. Oh, and before I forget, to my traveling companions and roommates for looking after me and making it such a great time, again. Love you long time…respect!

Why not buy tickets for 2023 and come join us by the seaside beside the sea Here

Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids – ‘Charm Offensive’ (Ray Records/Cargo Records)

Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids – ‘Charm Offensive’ (Ray Records/Cargo Records)

Slyder Smith first hit the stage in the mid-90s as guitarist with power pop beat combo, Last Great Dreamers. After releasing four studio albums and one live album the band decided to go on a hiatus and sail down the solo artist route. Although Slyder went public first with his Kickstarter campaign it was Marc who stole the march by releasing his quite brilliant solo album first. All that seemed to do was raise the bar for Slyder who kept his album under wraps until now. Taking center stage with a new band Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids (Tim Emery, Bass, and Rik Pratt, Drums) Slyder is most definitely on the Charm Offensive with an album made up of equal parts gritty good time Rock n Roll, a dash of glamour and a heap of emotion.

Kicking off proceedings with the Mexican standoff that is ‘El Encantador’ something of an ever so brief spaghetti western intro. then a roll of drums and ‘Calico Queen’ is chomping at the bit with a cheeky smile its got swagger in a 2 steps from the move kinda way with a rollicking saloon piano run and an excellent middle eight and big Bvs its a stonking opener. It’s only going one way from here now the party is started ‘I’m Done’ has a cool groove that’s twisting and grinding towards the chorus.

It’s got an air of confidence about it – that much is obvious even at such early doors. Hell, there’s even a cowbell! With fourteen songs in all you need to make yourself comfortable – hell grab a beer or four this is happening. ‘Crash Landing In Teenage Heaven’ has the soul of Bowie with its dreamy tempo and infectious melody and once the earworm burrows in you won’t get rid of it for days. Sure, you’ve heard it before but when it was the title track of the LGD second album it was all trashy crash bang wallop this is a very different beast and is just about right on the money. A fantastic reinvention of a really good song even if this is next level.

Wait a cotton picking moment, Slyder picks up a banjo for ‘I Don’t Want To Run’ which builds and has the feel of The Libertines or Carl Barat which is no bad thing then the chorus breaks out into a life-affirming chorus. ‘Maya’ is more of the same with a big beating heart its got a gentler delivery and with the bass thumping away high in the mix is excellent and to be fair its a real feature throughout the album, the mix and production is fantastic, and really compliments the songs giving them room to breathe like a fine Red wine. Getting Pete Brown (George Harrison, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Marc Almond, The Smiths, Sam Brown) to add his talent is well worth it.

Turning up the tempo for ‘Pleasure Victim’ and all its grubby Soho sleaze feels on the money churning up a rocker at just the right time on the record so the listener gets a second wind with some tasty guitar dueling for the lead break works well. ‘Road Love’ enters the fray with plenty of Mott The Hoople swagger in the arrangement and styling.

I’m not sure what to make of the cover of ‘Never Ending Story’ sure Slyder does a great job hitting the vocals right on the money but I never liked the original so I’ll have to give this one a pass but I’m sure there will be plenty who just appreciate it for the tip of the hat to a pop smash hit.

Anyway, Where was I? Oh yes, Rock n Roll haha! ‘Oblivion Kids’ couldn’t come quick enough. Another old Dreamers track reinvented. Maybe more of a straight rocker without the synth throb that the original version from ‘Transmissions From Oblivion’ had. I’m not sure which is the best. The production and sonic boom of this version wins hands down but I quite liked that hovering wobble in the background – hung jury.

Hell, after a brief reprise of the album’s opener we’ve hit the finale and with our poncho on and cigars lit it’s ‘No More Mr. Bad Guy’ as the band rides off into the sunset on this curious closing instrumental.

In summery its a wonderful album full of excellent songs that have well-worked arrangments, sing-a-longs that lift the spirits, and a record you’re happy to play over and over again – There’s no need for a ‘Charm Offensive’ just let the music do the talking let this album whisper sweet sweet nothings into your ear you’ll be in luv L-U-V!

Buy Here

Official website / Facebook ./ Spotify / Instagram / Twitter

Author: Dom Daley

THE HARD-ONS RELEASE LTD ED 7″ SINGLE AND VIDEO FOR “NEEDLES AND PINS”

THE HARD-ONS RELEASE LTD ED 7″ SINGLE AND VIDEO FOR “NEEDLES AND PINS”

On the day they begin the WA leg of their I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken tour, The Hard-Ons have released a new single and video from the album.

The “Needles & Pins” 7″ single will be released on coloured vinyl as a strictly limited edition of 300 – 100 in hot pink, 100 in clear teal and 100 in black. It features the exclusive non-album B-side “Spider Tree” (an out-take from the album) and will be available from the band at the shows as well as on the Cheersquad Records & Tapes Bandcamp page and from select retailers.. 

Of the new single and video, Hard-Ons co-founder and bassplayer Ray Ahn has said “The Hard-Ons are in love with the music and beauty of pop. We wanted Mike Foxall, the director to capture the sentiment and tenderness of the melody – all the while showing some light-hearted humour… ” 

Guitarist and fellow co-founder Blackie adds, “People usually scoff (politely Emoji) when I insist we’re a pop band .. SEE!!”

The WA dates follow the band’s recent AIR Awards ‘Best Independent Rock Album Award’ nomination for I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken, and the group’s much-viewed surprise APRA Awards performance of “Know Your Product” in tribute to The Saints’ Chris Bailey.  

The Hard-Ons’ new album I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken is out now via Cheersquad Records & Tapes. (Distributed by Magnetic South)

https://cheersquadrecordstapes.bandcamp.com/album/im-sorry-sir-that-riff-s-been-taken

www.facebook.com/hardons
hard-ons1.bandcamp.com

Rebellion Festival – Blackpool, Winter Gardens – 4th-7th August 2022

Rebellion Festival – Blackpool, Winter Gardens – 4th-7th August 2022

SATURDAY

Day three of Rebellion 2022, and just like in previous years Saturday’s bill leans perhaps a little heavier towards the Oi!/streetpunk/skinhead side of punk rock, especially in the Empress Ballroom, and that’s exactly where we start today catching the revolutionary sounds of Italian Oi! outfit Los Fastidios. A few songs in though and we’re distracted by the appearance of our old mate Gaff lead guitarist with Desperate Measures NZ and Rich Ragany & The Digressions. He’s not been to sleep since the Measures closed out the Empress in the early hours and I can’t help but think he’s never left the building following what he describes as “perhaps the band’s best show ever!” I’m ashamed to admit I missed this set, due to my lack of sleep the previous night, but as usual Gaff is cool about it all heading for the nearest bar to keep the celebrations going.

Getting things back on track we make our way to the front of the Empress for what appears to be the final gig from Devon’s finest streetpunks Arch Rivals who really are back in Blackpool for one last round. It’s an emotional affair for sure played out to a crowd who really do not want to see the quartet leave the stage. But after a set packed full of terrace anthems, leave they must, and as ‘The Crowd’ brings things to a close its easy to understand why frontman Mike Brands struggles to hold it together, such is the fantastic send off the lads are afforded by the Empress faithful. Let’s hope they can get back together soon, eh? Oi! Oi! Oi!

Next up, it’s time for some Chaotic Dischord over in Club Casbah. Now, this is the band we all aspired to be back in 1983/84 as we were all as equally as shit as they were musically with one band that my old mate Darrel Sutton put together (long before he was playing with Trigger McPoopshute and System Reset) designed specifically to have people walking out after just 2 or 3 songs. I’m pleased to say that with Chaotic Dischord nothing has changed in that respect and after just 3 songs (during which I’ll admit I’m pissing myself laughing) culminating in ‘Who Killed ET? (I Killed The Fucker!)’ it’s all over for me. Yes, it really is a joke you know….

And with that in mind we briefly pop our heads around the folding doors of the Pavilion to catch some of The Gonads set, Garry Bushell openly taunting the locals with a “Blackpool Boys We Are Here” chant that segues almost perfectly into a song our Woking Oi! correspondent was dying to hear, the legendary ‘I Lost My Love (To A UK Sub)’. Perfect half time entertainment for Charlton Athletic fans everywhere.

The reason we have to leave The Gonads set early is that the anticipated crowd for The Bar Stool Preachers second set of the weekend up in the Almost Acoustic stage in the Spanish Ballroom is probably going to test that venue’s capacity to the maximum. So, getting in early doors we manage to get a prime viewing spot for what has to one of the real highlights of the weekend. Playing with a reduced kit drummer and a keyboardist led on the floor to help get around the stage’s rules of what can be included as “Almost Acoustic”, frontman TJ McFaull plays an instant trump card by ensuring the front rows are only made up of young fans and their families. Admittedly his wise words on the realities of trickledown economics (that proceed the song of the same name) are well over the heads of his band’s latest fan club members, but that doesn’t matter one iota as the pure delight on their faces as they get to dance and sing with the band is a total joy to behold. Thankfully the band’s signature tune does get played today, and as the lads say goodbye to everyone one last time before heading off to tour Europe with The Interrupters, I’ll say it once again. “Watch these boys fly….” 

Something I wish I could do myself as due to the massive crowd up in the Spanish Ballroom I manage to miss over half of Last Resort back in the Empress Ballroom. Still, I get in in time for a new tune called ‘No Man’s Land’ followed closely by the immense ‘Never Get a Job’ before Roi and the lads rattle out the classics ‘King of the Jungle’ and ‘Violence in Our Minds’ from their legendary 1982 debut album. Look, I know they have Lars Frederiksen within their ranks these days but I still can’t help but miss the monstrous Les Paul chug that Beefy used to bring to the Last Resort sound, and I really never thought I’d be writing this…yet again.

It’s at this point in proceedings where stage clashes were always going to shape the rest of our Rebellion Saturday as up next in the Empress is the tribute to Mensi, something I would love to hang around and sing along to, but when we also have IOW skinhead all-stars Grade 2 playing over in the Pavilion at the exact same time, and their third album ‘Graveyard Island’ pretty much helped me through multiple lockdowns, there’s only one place I’m going to be. Having previously witnessed Grade 2 supporting The Interrupters, the band that bursts onto the stage at Rebellion is unrecognisable from the largely static trio that had failed to impress me in Bristol SWX a few years prior. Their tour with Social Distortion has certainly helped the lads with their stagecraft, but it’s the quality of the songs from that aforementioned album that really is the difference this time around.  ‘Tired Of It’, ‘Murder Town’ ‘Bowling Green Lane’ are all delivered with ruthless efficiency and I’ll defy anyone not to be impressed with this mob right now. Grade 2 are another one of the absolute highlights of Rebellion 2022 and along with The Bar Stool Preachers it’s reassuring to know that the future of punk rock (in all its various sub-genres) is safe in these guy’s hands.

Staying put in the Pavilion for the UK debut of Mick Rossi’s Gun St it’s great to see that we are not alone in having enjoyed Slaughter’s return the previous evening and Mick and gang have assembled a very healthy-looking crowd to entertain with songs new and old, plus the odd cover like ‘I Wanna Be Loved’ thrown in for good measure.

With an 8:30 curfew on entry to the RFest stage it’s at this point in proceedings that we leave our Woking Oi! correspondent to pick up on matters in the Empress whilst me and Dom head off to the seafront for some proper goff (double eff copyright Jimbob from Pizzatramp) action in the shape of Peter Hook & The Light and Gary Numan.

I really hadn’t been impressed with the sound at RFest when we caught up with The Undertones just 24 hours earlier, so tonight, we pick a spot nearer the stage and thankfully everything is crystal clear, Peter Hook delivering a wonderfully gloomy set on a glorious summer’s evening with Joy Division’s ‘Dead Souls’ being a particular highlight. As for Gary Numan, tonight is largely the same exceptional arena show that I witnessed on the opening night of the tour in Cardiff University back in April, albeit it’s now honed to perfection with the more recent material still taking precedence over any trip down memory lane, and the fact Numan continually mixed the set up throughout the ‘Intruder’ tour (tonight is the final night) is really why I’m here instead of watching the bands in the Empress.  Playing to within a few seconds of the strict 10:45 curfew the fact that he chooses to encore with ‘The Fall’ from 2011’s ‘Dead Son Rising’ album and not say the likes of ‘We Are Glass’ or ‘Films’ (both of which he had played in Cardiff) shows just how happy and confident Gary is within himself right now, and for me this is easily the set of the weekend. Glorious stuff!

Heading back to the Winter Gardens, it’s the first time this weekend we have to queue to get back in, but as Cock Sparrer have just finished their set in the Empress that’s totally understandable, as this new Conference Centre entrance merges straight in with the traffic from the Empress and as a result could very easily lead to overcrowding. Anyway, a short wait in the cool night air never hurt anyone, and apart from my glasses steaming up when we do pass the Empress that’s thankfully the only inconvenience I experience.

Meeting up with our Woking Oi correspondent in the Arena he’s full of stories about how emotional the Cockney Rejects set was with the band now starting to wind down on touring from this year onwards and how Cock Sparrer once again delivered a killer headline set that has perfectly set up their two fiftieth anniversary shows in London’s Roundhouse in just a few weeks’ time. Which RPM will hopefully be covering too. Bosh!

With The Chisel being one of our must-see bands of the weekend, that’s the reason we are all in the Arena, and having witnessed them deliver an explosive set just a few months earlier in Le Pub in Newport I was half expecting the dancefloor to turn into something resembling an MMA event…BUT…it just never happens. Maybe it’s the fact that where we are standing the sound is so poor that it takes me three songs to actually recognise a song, and then it’s the title track from the band’s stunning debut record ‘Retaliation’, or maybe it’s the fact that it’s chucking out time in the pubs and having been on it most of the day, many (myself included) are just so tired all they really want to do head back to the hotel for some much-needed shut-eye. Who knows? But it’s the latter we choose to do and as such forego the chance to watch Bob Vylan’s upgraded set in the Empress at around 1 am, which turns out for many to be the event of the weekend. Ho hum!

As we walk back to our hotel near Blackpool’s south pier shooting the breeze, it’s the sound issue in the Arena that makes me missing Bad Nerves’ set on Thursday not seem quite so bad, and as Sunday would soon prove this wasn’t to be an isolated incident either.

Lee Love Affair – ‘Hold Me Down’

Lee Love Affair – ‘Hold Me Down’

Hip Pries four stringer noise bringer eases back with his debut EP. this is the first video to accompany the EP that we reviewed several weeks ago. The video features Lee relaxing in his downtime from day job duties and cutting up the dance floor at the Wigan Pier.

released on Lux Noise records. Available in the UK from https://leeloveaffair.bandcamp.com

Europe from Lux Noise https://lux-noise.bandcamp.com/

USA from Spaghetty Town https://spaghettytownrecords.bigcarte…

Rebellion Festival – Blackpool, Winter Gardens – 4th-7th August 2022

Rebellion Festival – Blackpool, Winter Gardens – 4th-7th August 2022

Friday

We’ve now entered the alternate virtual reality that is Rebellion Festival where the world outside no longer has any bearing on us and the searing heatwave is only a mirror of what we experience when entering the Empress every year as the greenhouse effect takes place.

We take our usual leisurely pace of getting up for the exceptional breakfast in the relatively palatial and calm setting of our temporary home just down the seafront before our leisurely stroll through the tourists looking like extras from the Walking Dead before we enter the rabbit warren of the Winter Gardens for round two of Rebellion 2022. Its a quick two-step to the bar for some light refreshments as we enter the Casbah venue to catch some of the garage rock noise that has been recommended to us – known as Tiger Sex – this three-piece female garage punk ensemble churns out a Stooges zero fucks given noise but in the vast surroundings of the Casbah it’s missing the low end of a bass guitar that would turn these tunes into a real tour de force and nail your feet to the floor. I guess it doesn’t help not being familiar with any of the songs but the Stooges vibe hits home and I wanted to like what I was seeing and hearing so will have to investigate more. A decent opener for what was going to be a very interesting lineup as we dig deeper into this years festival.

Now, next up for us is a visit to the venue that used to house the acoustic sessions for what has become a Rebellion institution following Bingo with Max which in the past has given away some wonderful prizes such as the ironing board from his hotel room to name but one treasure (eat your heart out bullseye) none other than the surreal universe that is Ratboys Magic Show. Now I don’t want to give away any of the secrets as to what goes on because I’ve never been able to unravel what it is that I’m truly watching but on the quieter more reflective moments I have of weeks after the festival has faded I hear Rat Boy singing karaoke or his chant of “Rat Boy Rat Boys magic Show” and my head does a wobble and I have a flashback. If you’ve never seen him at the festival then give yourself a slap and take in one of his performances it’ll reaffirm your faith in all things alternative in entertainment and punk rock… We’ll leave it at that. Brilliant comedy light entertainment genius!

Next up was a return to the Casbah for the final performance of Spunk Volcano & The Eruptions who have pulled in a big crowd to say farewell to their heroes and their punk rockin’ party anthems such as ‘DNA Failure’, ‘Crossfire’, and the classic ‘Knobhead’. Spunk takes the mic and leaves the guitars to others as he prowls the stage punching the air to his everyday tales of growing up in Britain and most relatable. The heart and soul of Spunks performances are infectious and when they are punched out with as much anthemic gusto as you could muster it’s always an enjoyable singalong spectacle. Expect the best from the Showaddywaddy of punk rock and they always deliver thanks to the tunesmith that is Spunk Volcano, who deserves every bit of praise he ever gets, the guy pens top tunes and everyone around us has a beaming smile as they debate if crossfire is indeed better than Subbutteo (just for the record it isn’t) which is a testiment to his quality songwriting ability that is undeniable. They bid farewell and sign off with a maybe one day we’ll meet again who knows. Top set as usual.

We then enter the oven that is The Empress ballroom for a dose of Oi! streetpunk courtesy of Booze And Glory who dish up a slick sing-a-long that is lapped up by the bulging audience. These ‘appy ‘Ammers sing songs about West Ham, Booze and Glory with a bit of a jig in their step. Songs like ‘Days, Months and Years’ mix elements of The Pogues through to Cock Sparrer and all the street punk like the Dropkick Murphys for good measure. Personally, I can take it or leave it but there is a decent audience who clearly loves it and a good time is being had by all as the steam is rising from the pit.

We then decide to take in Suede Razors in the goldfish bowl that is the Pavillion stage in the middle of the sweeping walk around where the bands merch tables are set up where the sun beats down through the glass roof creating an absolute greenhouse heat effect where the only remedy is to take on some fluids and get in amongst it as the band knock out their tunes with gusto. Plying the street punk mixed with some good traditional time honored hard rock handed down from the likes of classic DC or some Thin Lizzy it helps to have former Harrington Saint frontman Darrel Wojick delivering the vocals with his passionate style that is like a sledgehammer to the chest.

One of the better mixes around the festival site The Pavillion is delivering the good once again. As the punters pack the room (Which always helps) the band’s tunes are what really deliver the good – ‘TV175’, ‘Bovver Girl’ raise the heat off their debut EP but its ‘Vive Le Rock’ that elevates this set to one of the best so far at the festival, the sheer energy is fantastic and the title of their new release says it all – ‘No Mess, No Fuss, Just Rock ‘n’ Roll’! message delivered and understood!

Its a hop skip and jump out of the Winter Gardens for some much-needed grub before we dust ourselves down and re-enter for some Bite Back in the Empress as Slaughter fronted by the superb Edwina Banger delivers some mighty fine old-school New York Dolls inspired Rock n Roll with the VU cover ‘White Light White Heat’, aptly describing the feeling in the Empress Ballrooms palatial surroundings. The band’s guitarist Mick Rossi is the perfect foil, knocking out the licks to some top tunes. It was a fantastic performance showing that the old school still had the chops to deliver the goods on the biggest stages and judging by the swelling audience we were not alone in knowing this was the place to be and the band to be watching. ‘Boston Babies’, ‘Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone’ and ‘Cranked Up Really High’ always were and still are some of the finest songs to come out of the whole seventies scene. Tonight they were dusted down and given a new lease of life for what will be one of the festival’s best performances, no question about it Bite Back 2022 was a real treat. Rossi, Garrity, Bates and Rowland showed why they are the real deal and Rock and Roll is alive and healthy when in the hands of professionals who most certainly Bite Back.

It’s time for us to venture outside to the new R Fest stage. Perched right on the seafront, pretty much beneath the Blackpool Tower (which to be fair as the sun sets is an impressive sight) to catch The Undertones. Having recently reviewed the new compilation of their last two studio albums ‘Dig What You Need’ I was ready to catch this lineup for the first time and even with some swirling PA moments the set was fantastic delivering exactly what the people wanted to hear. hit after hit after awesome album track. Derry’s answer to the Ramones has got more top tunes than most and tonight they managed to play twenty-four of them! How about that then?

The set reminded me of Buzzcocks from half a dozen years ago when they played I think it was a late night Thursday set and in an hour they managed to play pretty much every single they released one after the other without any bull shit and it was simply stunning. Undertones did pretty much the same tonight in the searing heat as the sun subsided over the sea it was a cool breeze that swept the site being the perfect environment for such a good set. Paul McLoone is energetic and delivers the songs perfectly for what has to be said is a headline-worthy set and a great introduction to what R Fest had to deliver from the smooth entry and exit from the site to the view, and amenities, and a welcome break from the Winter Gardens. Tied in with hearing ‘Billy’s Third’, ‘Male Model’ and ‘My Perfect Cousin’ was memorable hattrick from a superb band.

Being described as one half of the Goldfish Brothers due to the inability to remember pretty much anything since arriving in Vegas for scum I had to use my phone to record where I’d been and who I’d seen and in what venue as I would never have been able to remember everything as its a full-on weekend by anyone’s standard. I didn’t need my digital reminder to tell me I had to go to the Acoustic venue to witness The Boys performance which was well attended and a full band set up as the dusted-off versions of classic Boys ‘TCP’, ‘Weekend’, ‘Terminal Love’ and the superb sing-a-long that is ‘Brickfield Nights’ it was great to be able to sit back and relax and witness something different from one of my favourite bands. It flew by way to quickly and before I knew it ‘First Time’ signaled the end of the set and it was already time for this scribe to meander back into the Empress to catch some Sham 69 to bring the curtain down on another full-on yet thoroughly entertaining Rebellion experience. It was band after band and venue after venue yet it had flown by and we were halfway through.

Now Sham 69 knows exactly how to play at these festivals. Knock out exactly what people want to hear don’t preach, don’t pfaff about just count em in and bash em out with the energy and verve those classic punk anthems deserve. fifteen songs plus a two-song encore of ‘Hersham Boys’ and ‘Hurry Up Harry’ that the pit can throw themselves around to. to be fair Sham are a great festival band and right from the off you get ‘I Don’t Wanna’, ‘Ulster Boy’ and ‘Borstal Breakout’ but these days it comes without all the bullshit and bollocks of when they first burst onto the scene with all the violence and politics going on in the audience these days it’s as it should be and people just getting on with enjoying what are top punk rock anthems (and plenty of em). Pursey plays the villain perfectly well throwing round his drinks and sneering at the audience whilst introducing most songs with a pun but once the songs are counted in how can you not smile at ‘Angels With Dirty Faces’ and sing along to ‘Questions and Answers’? by the time the band had reached ‘If The Kids Are United’ I’m exhausted even looking at the flair of Robin Guy as he adds his hefty thump to proceedings. Again worthy of headlining a festival like Rebellion Sham deliver the goods pretty much exactly as you’d expect. With most of the stages now closed it was waiting in the Empress for an hour and a half for Desperate Measures or nick off and get some much-needed shut-eye for what was going to be a grueling second half and we didn’t want to get subbed so we made the mature and responsible choice and bowled down the seafront to our residence whilst trying not to make eye contact with the scallys looking for a fight or the ladies looking for a good time that walk was getting exhausting. Night folk it’s been a pleasure thus far, bring on Saturday!

Deathtraps – Red Eyes Black Kisses Video & pre sales

Deathtraps – Red Eyes Black Kisses Video & pre sales

South Wales punk n Roll darlings Deathtraps are back with their new record. Pre-orders are upon us and this new video is here for your viewing and listening pleasure. ‘Red Eyes Black Kisses’ is the first video off the album and we want to share it with you. The album ‘Appetite For Prescription’ is available Here You can catch the band playing with Crazyhead in Le Pub Newport this coming Friday with a very limited number of tickets still available Here

Facebook

Rebellion Festival – Blackpool, Winter Gardens – 4th-7th August 2022

Rebellion Festival – Blackpool, Winter Gardens – 4th-7th August 2022

Thursday – WE R BACK.

Three years on from the last Rebellion Festival and we are finally back at our spiritual home, and there’s a few things that have changed. The Winter Gardens has opened a new Conference Centre main entrance, and the old backstage area where we’ve done so many great interviews with bands over the years is no more, so sadly bang goes any chance of doing any of those for you this weekend folks…. sorry! Then of course there’s the new outdoor stage going by the name of R Fest that you can attend on its own if you so wish, at £50 a day, or its free to those with Rebellion weekend wristbands and then finally there’s this sense of freedom in the Blackpool air, something that I certainly haven’t felt in quite some time.

What hasn’t changed though is the fact that Rebellion is still the number one punk and alternative festival here in the UK, returning with another knockout bill (that a few cancellations aside) has the RPM team arriving a day earlier than we have done previously, just so we can ensure we don’t miss any of the bands playing early on the first day of the festival. It wasn’t that long ago that I remember Thursday being the kind of “warm up” day for the event, now it’s the surrounding pubs and clubs that provide that, and we find ourselves crammed into an uber sweaty Tache watching Suzi Moon, when really we should have been getting an early night preparing for the weekend ahead, but fuck it, we really are back, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

THURSDAY

Arriving early doors at the Winter Gardens to catch Janus Stark opening the Empress Stage line up, the first thing that hits me is the size of the queue outside the conference centre waiting for the wristband exchange. We’d followed the festival’s advice online and got ours the night before, so we sailed through, but I can understand some of the anger vented within Facebook groups if you did get caught up in this and missed a band you wanted to see. As it is Gizz Butt and the Stark guys get to play to a smaller crowd than they might have given these circumstances but this doesn’t bother the quartet one iota as they deliver an outstanding performance that proves once again that every little thing does in fact count.

“Alright you English cunts, I bet you wish you’d been stuck in queues too rather than watch us,” is certainly a risky opening gambit from Pizzatramp frontman Jimbob Theodore Logan, but having risen from playing a slot at the festival’s Introducing stage just a few years back to now playing the flagship Empress Ballroom, he’s a man on a mission, and if he can make you laugh, or indeed cry (more of that in a moment) then what the hell? Jimbob’s other half Tia is in the line-up today on bass and backing vocals and that female voice does add a new dynamic to call response element of some of the band’s back catalogue, but then when you have songs as insanely catchy as ‘CCTV’ and ‘Ciggy Butt Brain’ within that canon of work how can the Chepstow pizza crew possibly go wrong? There’s even a touching moment when Jimbob calls his son mid-set just for the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” to him, something that sees the frontman getting “sweat in his eyes” before the obligatory ‘Bono’s A Cunt’ closes a resoundingly successful set for the trio. You know, when people say you have to be “in the know” to get on the Rebellion bill, I always say “well Pizzatramp did it and they are fucking clueless.” There’s really no come back from that one is there….

I first saw Suzi Moon take to the Rebellion stage twelve years ago, playing one of the two stages they then had over in the Olympia, when she was a member of the Hellcat signed Civet. I have to admit I wasn’t that enamoured with the set I’d witnessed at the Tache the night before, largely due to a muddy sound, but Suzi seemed to love it, and for her set in the Pavilion this afternoon, it’s the almost absolute opposite. Here right from opener ‘Special Place In Hell’ the sound out front is stunning, thus ensuring that tracks like the strutting ‘Sonic Attraction’, the glamtastic ‘I’m Not A Man’ and the sultry set closer ‘Animal’ rip through flesh to get their hooks in you. It’s up on stage where Suzi is having guitar problems, that she doesn’t seem quite as in her special place as she did just twelve short hours earlier, and smashing the offending article into the Pavilion stage, you can feel the frustration she must have had boiling up inside. Rest assured though Suzi (If you are reading this) this was a great performance, and pretty much everyone around me seemed to think so too. I mean a bit of mid-set tension never hurt Texas T at Rebellion now did it?

Heading back to the Empress for some Wonk Unit, it’s now a decade since I first witnessed Alex Wonk live (that being at Slugfest 5 back in my hometown of Abertillery) and boy how things have moved on since those early(ish) part spoken word/part grunge/part punk rock days of the band. Only the main man and bassist Pwoison remain from that gig, but once again within this performance today the spirit of vaudeville is still there for everyone to delight in. I’ve often referred to Alex as the “Ian Dury of his generation” and here in the same hall that so many tortured geniuses have played over the years he seems in his element, conducting his glorious-sounding band through the likes of ’Pathetic Merry Go Round of Existence/Heroin’, ‘Day Job Wanker’ and a furious sounding ‘Nan Is Old’. It takes a pitch-perfect ‘Awful Jeans’ to get the sprung dancefloor bouncing for the first time this weekend, and just as ‘Go Easy’ tears out the PA we have our first band clash of the weekend, as we hop, skip, and jump over to Club Casbah in time for the arrival of Dirt Box Disco.

It’s also a decade since I first witnessed the mighty Dirt Box Disco deliver their slamdunk debut at Rebellion, and today they return to the Olympia, now retitled Club Casbah, playing perhaps their finest set since that jaw dropping debut. Some might argue that this is because the set list draws heavily from the ‘Tragic Roundabout’ EP and ‘Legends’ album, but when you have a song as strong as ‘Burning’ that can immediately get the whole of the packed-out Casbah singing as one, you just need to make sure you don’t lose the audience, and then when you can follow that anthem with the likes of ‘Peepshow’ ‘I Don’t Wanna Go Out With You’ and ‘My Girlfriend’s Best Friend’s Sister’ you really are ‘Unstoppable’ and even when Spunk calls his band “rock ‘n’ roll dinosaurs” towards the end of their set, I’m sure he means it in a “Jurassic Park” Alan Partridge kind of way. “Back Of The Net!!!”

After a quick pitstop for some food (we do have to eat too you know) we move back to the Empress for Anti-Flag, or as they like to pronounce it An-tie-Flag, and I have to admit that I’ve never been a huge fan, thinking them to be a band consisting of more style than substance. Tonight, however even an old cynic like me can’t help but get caught up in the moment and singalong with the likes of ‘You’ve Gotta Die for the Government’ and ‘Fuck Police Brutality’ and whilst these tunes might now be over 26 years old they still sound as relevant today, maybe even more so. I do find it odd that in amongst their strongly politically driven setlist that they still have time to do a ‘Stars on 45’ kind of run through some cover tunes like ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’, ‘God Save the Queen’ and ‘If the Kids Are United’, but the Empress faithful lap it up and send Anti-Flag off into the night like all conquering heroes. Me, I’m properly distracted by what’s about to follow.

Drawing the largest crowd of the day so far, it’s LA hardcore punk legends Circle Jerks who are up next in the Empress. Originally confirmed for the 2020 Rebellion Festival for what would have been the 40th-anniversary celebration of the band’s seminal debut record ‘Group Sex’, tonight, two years on it’s also the 40th-anniversary celebration of the band’s second album ‘Wild In The Streets’. Guiding us through tonight’s 32 (there may have been more) song battering of the senses that the band like to call a set list there’s the ever-convivial Keith Morris to relay the background story behind each of the blocks of songs the band, made up of bassist Zander Schloss, guitarist Greg Hetson along with guest drummer (the man who makes it all possible according to Morris) the monster that is Joey Castillo, deliver like men a third of their age. From ‘Deny Everything’ through to ‘When the Shit Hits the Fan’ via ‘Red Tape’ there’s even a point towards the end of their set where Castillo has to ask Morris to keep talking just so he can get his breath back, and if you remember that his day job is currently laying down the backbeat for The Bronx then that is surely some feat indeed. With the crowd thinning a little towards the end I do wonder how much of this is down to the relentlessly intense nature of the Circle Jerks set or if it’s just another one of the weekend’s many stage clashes, and as I’d actually forgone a long overdue chance to watch Hawkwind down on the R Fest stage for this Circle Jerks reunion set I for one was certainly glad I made this choice here tonight, as this was something I really would have hated to have missed.

Another potential stage clash was taken out of my hands literally a few days before Rebellion started when Bad Religion were forced to cancel all of their remaining European dates, including their headline slot in the Empress Ballroom, due to a family emergency back in the US. With The Skids stepping in to save the day and me having never been a fan of the band I instead headed over to Club Casbah to catch The Boys once again ploughing through a 19-song set that covered most of the hits from their back catalogue as well as a few deeper cuts to keep the diehards on their Cuban heeled toes. Singer/bassist Kent Norberg may lovingly refer to Boy’s songwriting machine of Matt Dangerfield and Casino Steel as the “Lennon And McCartney of punk rock” but through squinted eyes, Dangerfield would certainly pass more for Keith Richards these days, and not just in his looks either. There’s also the clang of his tight yet loose guitar proving to be the perfect counterpoint to Honest John Plain’s stand in Chips Kiesbye and with Steel closing down the set keyboard-less for ‘Sick On You’ he was giving us perhaps a rare glimpse of his inner Mick Jagger, albeit a slightly reluctant one. Oh, and here’s a footnote to the organisers of Rebellion too regarding this performance, because as The Boys have for some time featured two members of the fantastic Swedish punk rock band Sator. How about asking them over to play as well especially given they’ve just scored a number 1 album back home with their ‘Return Of The Barbie Q Killers’ record?

With just a couple of bands left on my must-see list it’s during the changeover between The Boys and The Bar Stool Preachers that I rechristen my RPM travelling compadres for the weekend, the Goldfish Brothers as everything I seem to tell them they immediately seem to forget. It’s no wind-up either, and never mind how many times I tell them I want to watch Bad Nerves at the ungodly hour of 1 am over in the Arena they instantly forget and ask me “who?” and “where?” time and again. In the end I have to put it down to the cider visors they have both been wearing for most of the day and the fact that one of them left home at 4 am this morning to get here, so instead I just settle in to watch the return of the mighty BSP as their career takes yet another stellar upwards turn.

Having recently announced that they have signed with Pure Noise Records on a two-album deal Brighton’s favourite ska-punk sons can seemingly do no wrong at the moment. Granted, a couple of band members do resemble extras from Nick Love’s The Business as they take to the Rebellion stage with a drum and bass intro tape booming out over the PA, but as soon as ‘Choose My Friends’ kicks in there’s no disputing this is the sound (and look) of The Bar Stool Preachers at the very top of their game. There’s also a smattering of new tunes given a spin around the Club Casbah block tonight and if this is the sound of what is to come then this is probably the last time we’ll be seeing TJ and the lads playing small venues here in the UK. This new stuff is essential listening, and I can’t wait to hear what the third album will sound like when it does finally get released.   There’s only one downer tonight and that’s the fact that the band’s signature tune ‘Bar Stool Preacher’ doesn’t get to be played as the lads are on a strict curfew, but that tiny set list blip aside, this is the sound of the future of punk rock, bold, ballsy and most of all, absolutely brilliant. Look out for them across Europe and UK as the support for The Interrupters tour, things are about to go major league for these guys, you just mark my words.

So with that performance still ringing in my ears, it’s at this point I give up on ever getting the Goldfish Brothers to ever hang around to watch Bad Nerves, but as the weekend progresses I actually find myself not regretting missing them quite as much as I was fearing, but more of that to come.

Adios for now I’m off to bed for some much-needed shut eye. “Woking turn that fucking phone off!” Ha!

Author: Johnny Hayward

Dez Dare – ‘Ulysses Trash’ (CH!MP)

Dez Dare – ‘Ulysses Trash’ (CH!MP)

Back in 1974 when Leo Sayer famously sang “Well I’m a one-man band, nobody knows nor understands” he could very well have been referring to Australian-born but now Brighton-based psych space cadet Dez Dare, albeit he was almost four decades too early.

Not that time really bothers Dez, that’s more of an abstract constraint in his world, where music, art and mind expansion blend into one, and ‘Ulysses Trash’ (his second full album to date) is a melting pot of thirteen tracks that take you on a musical roller coaster ride quite unlike any other.  

Totally DIY, with Dare playing/recording everything on the album, the production is shot through with the associated garage rock feel you get with such recordings, and there’s an underlying feeling of early Sub Pop within the acid-soaked grooves of ‘They Scream, My Head Is So Full I Can’t Dream’ and this is something that continues through the likes of the wonderfully titled ‘Bloody Sea, Holy Fuck’ and perhaps my fave track on the record ‘1.9.8.5’ which features a spiraling space rock riff over which Dare riffs his spoken word lyric before wrapping it all up in a Stooges-like chorus to die for.

I actually think if some of this stuff had been released a couple of years earlier you may even have found a track cropping up on ‘A Better Dystopia’ Monster Magnet’s covers album that paid tribute to obscure (yet great) garage rock music through the ages.

In fact, if you discovered fantastic bands like Table Scraps from that record then I highly recommend you check out ‘Ulysses Trash’ when its released on August 19th on CD and download via the Bandcamp link below.

‘Ulysses Trash’ is the soundtrack to the fourth dimension baby! Can you dig it???

Buy Here

Facebook

Author: Johnny Hayward

2 for Tuesday

2 for Tuesday

Legendary rock ‘n’ rollers The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs are gearing up for the September release of their two-CD cover collection, All The Covers (And More), and ahead of the action, they’re sharing their rendition of the iconic “Cherry Bomb” by The Runaways. The cover also features the one and only Cherie Currie.

The collection wrangles every cover song the band has recorded over their 25-year career, featuring a slew of guest stars in addition to Currie, including Wayne Kramer (MC5), Sylvain Sylvain (New York Dolls), Jimmy Zero (Dead Boys), Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman), Bryan Small (The Hangmen), Jeff Dahl (Angry Samoans), and many more.

check it out Here

The second helping is the brand new video from Chest Malone & The Slice Em Ups and their first release for Cleopatra Records.