JOE STRUMMER CELEBRATED WITH A PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD NEW SONG

JOE STRUMMER CELEBRATED WITH A PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD NEW SONG

LANCE BANGS DIRECTS OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO INCLUDES NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE FROM THE JOE STRUMMER ARCHIVE AND A SPECIAL CAMEO FROM EDDIE VEDDER TRACK FROM STRUMMER’S FINAL SESSIONS FEATURED ON THE ACCLAIMED NEW BOX SET,  JOE STRUMMER 002: THE MESCALEROS YEARS’JOE STRUMMER 002:  THE MESCALEROS YEARS’ AVAILABLE NOW VIA DARK HORSE RECORDS

“If you think you miss Joe Strummer now, by the time you get to the end of this boxset, you are really going to miss the guy. What an impact, what an amazing musician, what an amazing human being, a great artist, and this boxset perfectly captures the man, the music and the moment, I’m so glad this came out” Henry Rollins 

The previously unreleased track is among the highlights found on ‘Joe Strummer 002: The Mescaleros Years’, the first-ever comprehensive collection highlighting Strummer’s work with his post-Clash band, The Mescaleros, available now on 4CD w/72-page book and 7LP w/32-page book, special edition packaging and exclusive 12”x12” art print. ‘Fantastic’ marks one of Strummer’s final recordings, with vocals recorded in December 2002 at the famed Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire, Wales, mere weeks after Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros played their last ever live show at Liverpool University on November 22, 2002.

The track’s emotional companion video, directed by renowned rock ‘n’ roll filmmaker Lance Bangs (Nirvana, Sonic Youth) and featuring archival footage shot by Strummer, Dick Rude, Julien Temple, Don Letts, and Josh Cheuse, along with a special cameo by Eddie Vedder and spoken word introduction by Strummer.

Buy ‘Strummer 002’ Here

Dead Kennedys -‘Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables’ (Manifesto Records)

Dead Kennedys -‘Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables’ (Manifesto Records)

Ah, ‘Fresh Fruit’ – West coast hardcore punk rock has been remixed from the original multitrack tapes by Chris Lord-Alge (Chaka Khan, Green Day, Bruce Springsteen). The band’s debut album which originally came out way back in September 1980 is still as politically incendiary and trail-blazing now as it was back in the day.

Provocative and in your face it was adrenaline-mainlined punk rock. With some fantastic musicianship, lyrics, and artwork to boot. So it seems fair that such an iconic record gets the 40th-anniversary re-release and remix. Now When this LP hit the streets it took an age to have an impact on this side of the pond remember kids there was no internet or TikTok back in the 80s hell there wasn’t much of anything you had to wait for the word to reach the cool kids or the ones with penpals across the pond. The Dead Kennedys (fantastic name) ply a hardcore superfast style that was nowhere at the time they took what the Ramones did or the Damned to the umnpth degree and crossed the divide and probably helped invent thrash metal as a byproduct. Apart from being overtly political they were also amusing and funny and brought humour to the music as well.

The artwork was a big deal I remember seeing the burning cop cars and thinking what the fuck! Right from the off it was a head fuck from Jello’s chaotic manic vibrato vocals to the surf reverb and speed the band delivered the tunes it was exciting then and to be fair has stood the test of time and is exciting now. I always thought The DKs deserved a fuller better production and now with the use of modern technology they have it. ‘Kill The Poor’ is like Elvis on Crack and sped up something that was probably on the bands mind at the time as they deliver an insane cover of ‘Viva Las Vegas to close the record off.

The intro to ‘Forward To Death’ is Ramones with speed as Jello spits out the lyrics it was always a song that had me hooked on the lyrics and just what was it he was singing about. Apart from the excitement of the speed of it all it drew me in as a kid and I still appreciate it now for its sheer brutality and the yang to that ying is its beauty as a piece of work the scooby doo solo on ‘When You Get Drafted’.

The first time they take a breath is the magnificent ‘Lets Lynch The Landlord’. I still don’t know what the fuck is being sung on ‘Drug Me’. The controversial song titles still even now make you wonder how they managed to not get into more hot water than they did. ‘Drug Me’, ‘Chemical Warfare’ the truly epic ‘I Kill Children’, ‘Holiday In Cambodia’ are all still relevent today and must have caused such a stir in 1980.

Some of the band’s finest work is present and correct like the aforementioned ‘Holiday In Cambodia’ and the magnificent ‘California Uber Alles’ which is rightly one of punk rock’s finest moments with its memorable chant-along chorus. It’s an album that sounds like being kicked in the bollocks can be fun and a headbutt is fine and dandy because not a lot has moved forward in 40 years. Look at Trump and Brexit to see what a clusterfuck the western world still makes for its people – shit Jello was raging against back then is still an issue now sadly. Maybe there will be a digitalized car burning somewhere soon and playing on the radio will be Fresh Fruit For Rotting Veg. Hell if you already own a copy then get this new mix it’s great and the record still stands up as a classic. Long live the Dead Kennedys in their original form – truly magnificent beasts.

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Author: Dom Daley

The Senseless Things – ‘The First Of Too Many’ (3CD Expanded Edition & 2 LP) (Cherry Red Records)

The Senseless Things – ‘The First Of Too Many’ (3CD Expanded Edition & 2 LP) (Cherry Red Records)

Thirty fucking years! Where the fuck did they go? With Keds sadly not around to enjoy this wonderful remastered expanded anniversary release of arguably their finest album ‘The First OF Too Many’ gets a truly magnificent deluxe makeover that any Senseless Things fan will adore.

I’m always a little skeptical about the remastered push but I decided to play the original back to back track by track and after about five seconds I gave up because the newly remastered version is infinitely brighter and sharper and more focussed and louder than the original and on that front Cherry Red have done a magnificent job without all the packaging that comes with it this really is a steal as £20.

The 3CD expanded and revisited the anniversary edition of the band’s second album ‘The First Of Too Many’ was the band at the peak of their powers with a relentless touring schedule they knew exactly what they wanted to sound like and had crafted the tunes to perfection.

From the awesome cover art that was provided by comic artist Jamie Hewlett, creator of Tank Girl and later Gorillaz. The surviving members of the band decided to honour the memory of Mark by revisiting this classic album some 30 years later, digging up the original master tapes and producing a fantastic new edition which is included here, along with the original 1991 mix of the record. The CD top trumps the vinyl press simply by having the added bonus of the live recording taken at their Camden Palace performance from June 1991 on a 24-track Mobile Recording Unit, the tapes have been rescued, restored and given a full new mix again by the band’s own Morgan Nicholls.

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Ash – ‘Free All Angels’ (The Echo Label Limited/BMG)

Ash – ‘Free All Angels’ (The Echo Label Limited/BMG)

Free All Angels was the third album from Ash. The album reached No.1 in the UK and has since gone platinum. The punk rock pop album contains the smash hits like the Ivor Novello winning ‘Shining Light’, the NME single of the year ‘Burn Baby Burn’, ‘Sometimes’, ‘There’s A Star’, ‘Candy’ and ‘Walking Barefoot’.

Ash and BMG are proud to reissue Ash’s third LP ‘Free All Angels’ for the first time on vivid yellow and clear splatter vinyl. This album has not been issued since its release over twenty years ago, This new vinyl release on Splatter wax is a welcome addition to anyone’s collection. Its their most rounded and wide appealing release after the youthful exuberance and promise of the magnificent debut ‘1977’ through ‘Nu-Clear Sounds’ to the record they’d been threatening to make in ‘Free All Angels’ I’ve no idea why they reissued the debut and this and didn’t give the same kudos to ‘Nu-Clear Sounds’ but we’re here for the Free All Angels review and what a well-rounded album it is from the magnificent opening of of ‘Walking Barefoot’ was the indication that the band had indeed risen to the next level they weren’t now just writing great catchy alternative songs they were smashing the pop charts with anthems that had mass appeal and how can you argue with an opening trio of hits like ‘Walking Barefoot’, followed by ‘Shining Light’ and then total wipeout with the thumping ‘Burn Baby Burn’ simply magnificent!

They were so confident of their abilities that a song like ‘Candy’ could then follow ‘Burn’ with its strings and grandiose and exuberant backing track Ash were indeed freeing all kinds of Angels. the record moves at warp speed from the strings back to a grungy yet lush melodic song like ‘Cherry Bomb’.

If it’s an album you’ve not played in a while then this is your chance to hit it up and revisit it with fresh ears songs like ‘Pacific Palisades’ and the thumping ‘Sharks’ deserve their new lease of life. Its a rollercoaster of an album with its ups and downs and fast then slow songs – always melodic and always excellent Ash were at the top of their game around this time and making records that obtained a wealth of critical acclaim and deservedly so and its great to see them back on wax and back in the front of the music world shouting from the mountain tops that Ash made great records now go get em and fill those gaps in your collection. If you are new to the band then strap yourself in for an absolute treat. A must-own record no question about it.

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Author: Dom Daley

Ash / The Gulps – Manchester Ritz – 15th September 2022

Ash / The Gulps – Manchester Ritz – 15th September 2022

Always great to be back at the Manchester Ritz. No matter the sponsor attached to the venue you know always in for a special night in splendid surroundings. 


The Gulps
A riotous performance landing somewhere between the Rapture and the Icarus Line or perhaps a domesticated Mooney Suzuki. Either way it’s very fitting on night celebrating the year 2001. There is a bit of a flat start but once the sound engineer warms up their guitars we start hearing all the raw power they can muster. Definitely living up to all the praise these guys are receiving. I enjoyed it and so will you! 
Ash
The songs being played tonight soundtrack my formative teenage years. More often than not when I look back on my happier memories of watching a band on a main stage of a festival, it’s a warm summer’s day and Ash are playing with Charlotte in their number with the most enviable greatest hits set and absolutely killing it!


We are here tonight celebrating the album by the once quartet that made an indelible mark on the early 21st century and stabbed through the heart of the unstoppable beast that was Nu Metal. With a blade of sugary, sunshine, indie rock and distorted pop goodness. Long before the Strokes and the White Stripes, Ash brought guitar rock back to the teenagers bedroom. No turntables were in sight and it never sounded so good!


The evening is kicked off with the inevitable double stomp to the face of ‘walking barefoot’, it may be mid September but I can smell the freshly cut grass and all that good shit that comes with a nostalgic summer memory. I’m not always a fan of the “classic album revisited” setlists but tonight it doesn’t feel wooden. It feels honest and earnest.
From then on we blaze through the classics. ‘shining light’, ‘burn baby burn’, sadly ‘candy’ becomes the inevitable casualty where those in attendance need a piss/fag/drink or all of the above. Tbf every track from the album is a memorable number and gets a great showing tonight.


When face to face with a classic album with so many memorable singles it’s easy to overlook the album tracks. No issues in that department tonight, the long converted throng of the crowd is eating up track after track. Honorable mentions to ‘someday’ and ‘Nicole’. 


As if all 13 tracks of Free All Angels were not enough, here in Manchester we are treated to a most enviable encore. The classics are well represented, obviously to get all the hits in and the whole studio you would need a Springsteen length set and of course it is a school night. ‘numbskull’, ‘a life less ordinary’, ‘kung fu’ and ‘orpheus’ to name a few. Personally, I would have liked to have got a few B-sides from the era in (‘gabriel’ etc) but you can’t win them all. The night is finished off nicely with the always welcome ‘girl from Mars’ and gets the love from the crowd it so deserves. 
It’s been a cracking night to launch the vinyl reissue (don’t forget 1977 is also available!) and it’s always great to have Charlotte back with the lads even if only for a couple of gigs. Another great evening to go alongside all my other classic Ash memories. Nostalgia and satisfaction guaranteed.

Ash Website

Buy Ash records Here

Author: Dan Kasm

Newtown Neurotics – New Album & Tour Dates

Newtown Neurotics – New Album & Tour Dates

Newtown Neurotics to release new album ‘Cognitive Dissidents’ via Cadiz Music on October 21

Pre-order the album HERE:

In a world full of charlatans, honesty and compassion have great value, and so it is clear, that the Newtown Neurotics with their new album ‘Cognitive Dissidents’, due October 21st via Cadiz Music, have that in spades. 

Authenticity is a much sought-out ingredient in music and can only be claimed by a band with a reputation and track record that evokes trust, a trust which their fan base return with fervent loyalty, who will be thrilled to see the band back out on the road for their November 2022 UK tour.

Following an incendiary set at Rebellion Festival last August, the band are primed to take their music and message across the country with a set that pulls together both new material from their forthcoming new album with well-loved landmarks from the past.

Newtown Neurotics has over the years, released five albums and eight singles (which includes the eerily predictive ‘When The Oil Runs Out’ and the majestic ‘Mindless Violence’) and now return with this fresh salvo under the title of ‘Cognitive Dissidents’ which describes the people who wilfully reject evidence over what they ‘feel’, a play on the term ‘Cognitive Dissonance’.

Written and recorded by the band whilst in lockdown, during which the world tottered and swayed from the moorings that had previously anchored our lives and Coronavirus struck down our loved ones threatening us all, music became, as it always had been, one of the most important things to sustain us through our troubled times.

Always uplifting, never downtrodden, this is punk rock at its finest; this is the Newtown Neurotics music at its finest. In its form and content, it destroys complacency and dogma with reason and logic, and contains melodies that stir the head, the heart, and the soul.

Pre-order ‘Cognitive Dissidents’ HERE:

Catch Newtown Neurotics live at the following dates in November and order tickets HERE:

Tuesday 8th Nottingham, The Bodega

Wednesday 9th Newcastle, The Cluny 2

Thursday 10th Edinburgh, Voodoo Ballroom

Friday 11th Glasgow, Mcchuills

Saturday 12th Middlesbrough, Westgarth Social Club

Sunday 13th Todmorden, The Golden Lion

Saturday 19th Brighton, The Prince Albert (Matinee)

Tuesday 22nd London, The Lexington

Find Newtown Neurotics online at:

Official Website – www.newtownneurotics.com

Twitter – @NNeurotics 

Facebook – /newtownneurotics
Instagram – @newtownneurotics Bandcamp – https://newtownneurotics.bandcamp.com/

SLADE announces ‘SLADEST’on Splatter Vinyl & CD reissue with bonus tracks

SLADE announces ‘SLADEST’on Splatter Vinyl & CD reissue with bonus tracks

SLADE announces official deluxe vinyl album reissue ‘SLADEST’on Splatter Vinyl & CD reissue with bonus tracks

out 4th November 2022 order Here

On 4th November BMG Records is proud to present a limited edition splatter vinyl edition and an expanded deluxe CD reissue of the compilation album Sladest from Slade.


These beautifully presented reissues will see Sladest released on limited edition blue and white splatter vinyl. While the CD is housed in a deluxe media book and includes the original extended essay.


‘Sladest’ originally released on 28th September 1973 topped the UK charts and was a success in Europe and beyond too. In Sladest’s first week of release, the album was awarded a UK Silver Disc and in November, it received a UK Gold Disc. Having remained at No.1 for its first three weeks of release, Sladest later returned to the top spot in mid-January 1974, following the success of “Merry Xmas Everybody”.


When first released Sladest featured fourteen songs, including the band’s eight hit singles up to that time. The new expanded CD version now includes 20 songs, including two additional bonus tracks Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me (USA 7” Edit) and Merry Xmas Everybody.


Slade are without doubt one of the most exciting bands to come out of Great Britain and were unstoppable throughout the Seventies becoming one of the biggest bands; releasing six smash hits albums, including three UK Number Ones, a run of 17 consecutive Top 20 singles and their hits provided a soundtrack to the Glam Generation.

City Saints – ‘Punk And Roll’ ( Sunny Bastards Records)

City Saints – ‘Punk And Roll’ ( Sunny Bastards Records)

OK so get this, an album of Street punk Rock n Roll split into four parts. Part one is tunes sung in English – I hear you say big deal isn’t most music sung in English? but wait the split is twenty-four songs half sung in English but the other half sung in the band’s native tongue of Swedish. Cool eh? fuckin right it’s cool and judging by the pace and tone of this opening salvo of punk Rock n Fuckin Roll it’s like a dustcloud of turbocharged Rockers flinging out of the traps like their asses are on fire. Man if Backyard Babied were still kickin’ ass like ‘Can’t Pin Me Down’ then the press would be going gaga over it. Like a fireball of energy with Chuck Berry licks added for good measure to the party of gang vocals and sing-a-longs then this would be a shot in the arm people are craving for.

Continuing the party on ‘Everywhere We Go’ its Street punk alright – fast melodic and boundless energy with choruses guaranteed to make to smile and punch the air. Possibly my pick of the opening side would be ‘Gothenburg City’ with its Boys-like melody and thumping bassline its a really good tune and more restrained than the opening few offerings which helps show a different side to the band however slight a gear shift it is. Worry not my rapid street punk amigos ‘Life Goes On’ is pedal to the metal and before you know it your thrashing about in a cauldron of circle pit appreciation for uptempo punk fuckin rock n roll.

The second part of this begins with a Rockin’ old-school AC/DC riff that is on fire! ‘Street Punk Rock and Roll’ is one hell of a tune and only helps raise the temperature to the power of ten. It’s an ambitious project from City Saints but if you have twenty-four tunes that flow well and it makes perfect sense to get them out there and let the fans decide. we boogie about to Jukebox. ‘One Man Riot’ opens up comparisons with some tasty Steve Jones like rhythm guitar chords which is never a bad place to be situated. ‘Love It Loud’ shifts a few gears and flys out the speakers already making this second side a must hear high voltage blast of Rock n roll of the loud variety referencing some of their favourites I’d imagine from Kiss to The Ramones via the Pistols in the sneer. Dead Cruiser is another more assured and mid-paced rocker. ‘Bang Bang’ Finishes the English lyrics in style – what a blast thus far and most bands would be delighted with eleven songs this strong but not City Saints this is just halftime and they’ve already made the best record of their career, hands down.

Side Two or Three however you look at it is up and running and the opening track ‘Noll Kontrol’ which having a stab in the dark might stand for No Control without using Google is a toe-tapping Clash-style slice of Punk Rock and I like it. ‘Naj Naj Naj’ might mean no no no I guess but I find myself asking yes yes yes. this third offering is more straight Street Punk on the whole and whilst I might not know what is going on lyrically it doesn’t detract from what I’m hearing. ‘Sirenar’ is my pick of the third side even if ‘våld föder våld’ has some nice Stooges one-finger piano going on for good measure to compliment the Rock.

However you look at this album it’s an impressive move from City Saints with so much music on offer and then to split it down the middle with English and Swedish sharing center stage is ambitious and a move I wholeheartedly approve of. Of side four the opener ‘Lordag’ is a great vibrant slice of street punk with a cool breakdown to get those arms fist-pumping live.

‘Mandagsblues’ does what it says on the tin with some cool harmonica honking for good measure as the band ride out on a cool slice of da Blooze. It only leaves the rapid blast off of ‘Logner’ to seal this album. Hit them up and check this out and indulge in a fine album with a lot of music on offer in these uncertain times you can always rely on City Saints to dish up a hearty feast of loud Rock n Roll and this latest offering of bilingual street punk n roll is quality and fulfilling. Get some!

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Author: Dom Daley

Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners – Footprints In The Sand

Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners – Footprints In The Sand

Footprints In The Sand is from Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners’ self-titled debut album.  The thoughtful and charming Footprints in the Sand is about “patting yourself on the back occasionally, giving yourself credit for the personal struggles that you continually battle.” explains Ginger Wildheart. Guitarist and singer Neil Ivison says, “Footprints was the first song we ever wrote together…Each of us had the bones of an idea and we put the song together in about 20 minutes. Then we went straight into the live room and recorded it exactly as you hear it now, the whole thing took just a couple of hours from start to finish. That’s when things started to get really exciting for me.”  Pre Orders Here

Gogol Bordello – ‘Solidaritine’ (Casa Gogol/Cooking Vinyl)

Gogol Bordello – ‘Solidaritine’ (Casa Gogol/Cooking Vinyl)

Where do you start, when the latest release comes winging across the inter web from RPM online HQ, and said release comes from one of the best live acts on the planet, every gig a call to arms full of passion, intensity and sheer bloody mindedness.

This from a band that has probably the most culturally diverse make up on the planet. Held together and driven forward by one of the best frontmen (Eugene Hutz) you will have the pleasure to see. If I was to say the Gogol part of the name came from Nikolai Gogol a classical Russian writer of Ukrainian origin, someone who introduced Ukrainian culture into Russian Society, and the fact that the lead singer is Ukrainian then now is the time to release all that pent up anger, intensity through the medium of music.

We are talking about a band that performed for the Ukrainian troops to raise spirits, have released singles/collaborations with all proceeds going to Ukrainian relief agencies. While both the benefit gig they set up and the following Benefit tour have helped a nation under the most extreme pressure imaginable from Russian attempted Oppression.

On to the LP and fuck does it tear out of the speakers, opening track Shot of Solidaritine hits that mix of Funk, punk and gypsy folk what a set opener this would be, you can just see the live insanity, the mosh pits, crowd surfing and general good times vibe. Next up Focus Coin introduces a background skank to the punk again a track that’s going to drive the crowd faster and faster. Three tracks in and I’m bouncing around the room and Blueprint does nothing to slow things down, the gypsy stomp emphasising the lyrics they really are “Not playing with you”. Next up The era of the end of eras featuring HR  takes thing in a very different direction driving that typical hardcore riff into the mix and potentially my fave track on the LP!! The LP just doesn’t let up and next into the ring I’m coming out hits that gypsy punk mix that they’ve made their own before we’re into, Knack for life, The Great Hunt of Idiot Savant, and Take only what you can carry each hard hitting, in their own right the first more hard hitting in its message by slowing things down with more focus on the lyrics, the second by lifting things back up bringing that punk guitar back before the third smashes things back open, the dual vocals give it another feel and this again I can just picture the counterpoint Male/female vocals live driving the music, in turn lifting the intensity of the crowd. My imaginary son, and Forces of Victory again raise the LP to melting point. After a deep breath (this Lp doesn’t relent at all) you realise how many genres this in fact crosses over and then we’re into Fire on Ice Flow, where the Ska/ Dub influence takes control?????this comes straight out of the left field. As we move on into the acoustic led Gut Guidance, which brings back the punk edge and LP closer Hucklebury Generation I have to finish up with this is possibly the most complete Gogol Bordello LP so far, there are some real stunners here.

What a fuckin LP, buy it!!! You won’t regret it, dare to be different.

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Author: Nev Brooks