The sun is out and the smell of hairspray is in the air, we can only be in one place? 1985 on the Sunset Strip you say? Nah we’re in present day Sheffield and the Rock gods are smiling on us with the weather this weekend (although we are principally indoors). The venue is packed and backcombed to the rafters and has a bountiful amount of Sleaze, snakebites and hotdogs on offer for the masses. Let’s get stuck in!
First up for me is Gypsy Pistoleros on the main stage. An intriguing mix of sleazy riffs, singalong choruses and some fantastic moments where you feel like you’re listening to a Spaghetti Western score. Overall they’re frenetic and anthemic but dreadful in between song ‘banter’. Props to the excellent drummer though.
Next up over on the 2nd stage, it’s Rock ‘n’ Roll stalwarts Paradise Alley. A much-needed shot in the arm of Glam Punk for the day’s proceedings! Frontman Steve Vincent certainly has the voice of the weekend, serenading the audience and throwing in a few stories for good measure. At times the band’s performance is a bit shambolic, at other times good, but overall shambolically good. Which is a winner for me! Will definitely be checking them out on tour in the future.
Back over to the main stage to check out Kickin Valentina. Clearly a crowd favourite here at Sleaze this weekend, the audience has swelled in size with anticipation. This is a band that has never clicked with me on record but they definitely win you over with their swagger and workmanship. It’s nothing I’ve not heard before but they serve it up confidently and bolster their fans into a frenzy.
Heading further into the evening of day 1 we are treated to headliner-worthy Hardcore Superstar. A force so commanding it’s like they just turned the House PA up to 11! The atmosphere in the venue is electric, the band hitting the crowd with sonic blunt force blows with every note played. Fan favourites are supplied in abundance in the form of ‘wild boys’, ‘we don’t celebrate sundays anymore’, ‘last call for alcohol’ and early career classic ‘liberation’. Those assembled are all but won over, the point is truly hammered home with anthemic closer ‘you can’t kill my rock ‘n roll’.
It would be fair to wonder how Michael Monroe would compare after following Hardcore Superstar on the bill. As soon as the band hit full pelt into the first number, all doubts are cast aside and seem ludicrous in retrospect. With a set consisting of Monroe’s superb solo album offerings, choice numbers from Hanoi Rocks and Demolition 23, plus a few covers thrown in for good measure. Tonight’s set is certainly the showstopper everyone has been hoping for. With a band that must be one of the best in the business (Sami Yaffa, Steve Conte, Rich Jones & Karl Rockfist) they burst into a non-stop Rock ‘n Roll show, expertly led by Monroe, an awe-inspiring performance packed with boundless energy.
Stand-out tracks for me today would have to be ‘last train to Tokyo’ and the recent single ‘everybody’s nobody’. Not only does Michael rock your socks off, he has the lovable charisma to charm your sock off also. I find myself literally unable to stop smiling throughout the entire performance, I genuinely feel sorry for anybody unable to find joy in watching the show tonight.
With Day 1 over, everybody is leaving happy and appetites are satisfied with equal amounts of Sleaze and Hooch.
CLASSIC 1982 ALBUM TO BE RELEASED AS A SUPER DELUXE EDITION 5-CD + BLU- RAY AUDIO BOX SET, TRIPLE VINYL, HALF-SPEED MASTERED SINGLE LP, 2-CD DELUXE EDTION, 1-CD REMASTER, AND DIGITAL
Listen To The Previously Unreleased Track “Betrayed (Outtake)” Taken From ‘Creatures Of The Night 40,’ HERE
Los Angeles, CA – August 26, 2022 – Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Creatures Of The Night from 1982 is a seminal album in the KISS catalog. It crushed fans’ expectations with a huge, back-to-rock sound and has become a fan favorite and cult classic. On November 18, 2022, UMe will release Creatures Of The Night40 as a 5-CD + Blu-ray Audio Super Deluxe Edition, 3-LP Deluxe, 2-CD Deluxe, 1-LP Half-Speed Master 180gm, 1-CD Remaster, as well as a 5-CD Super Deluxe Edition Digital Download + Streaming and 2-CD Digital Download-only version plus a color Vinyl exclusive. All configurations can be pre-ordered through the official KISS online store, HERE.
Having rechanneled their efforts into consciously making a return to the hard rock that they were known for, KISS – Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Eric Carr – unleashed Creatures Of The Night in October of 1982. In addition to a harder sound, the album is also noted for its heavier, darker mood. The single “I Love It Loud” has been performed on nearly every subsequent KISS tour, while “War Machine,” the ballad “I Still Love You,” and the title song also featured heavily in their live sets for a number of years. Also of note is “Killer,” which featured the group’s first songwriting collaboration with their soon-to-be-guitarist Vinnie Vincent. Creatures Of The Night received accolades in magazines such as Kerrang!and Guitar Player – which both placed the album in their top five end of year chart for 1982 – and has attained Gold Album status (sales of 500,000+).
The ‘Creatures Of The Night40’ Super Deluxe boasts 103 total tracks with 75 tracks being unreleased. Newly remastered on CD 1, the original album has never sounded better. CDs 2 & 3 feature 34 demos, rarities & outtakes including unreleased gems such as “Deadly Weapon (Penny Lane Demo),” “Not For The Innocent (Demo)” and “Betrayed (Outtake).” CDs 4 & 5 highlight 26 incredible, soundboard live recordings from the Creatures ‘82/’83 Tour and seven super rare tour sound effects, all recorded and archived by the Creatures Tour sound engineer Harry Witz. The Blu-ray Audio disc showcases a first-ever Atmos and 5.1 surround mix from the original album multi-tracks plus the high-resolution newly remastered 1982 stereo mix of the original album. Additionally, the Super Deluxe box features an extensive array of bonus kollectible KISS memorabilia and ephemera, including:
80-page Hardcover Book with Extensive Liner Notes by Ken Sharp and a treasure trove of unreleased photos and imagery
Creatures Of The Night 1982 Press Kit featuring:
Creatures Band Press Bio Sheet
Creatures Tour Band New Poster 11”x17”
2 Stage Drawings
The Loudest Band In The World Poster 16”x24”
Japanese Promo Poster 16”x22.5”
Band Black & White Promo 8”x10”
Gene, Paul, Eric & Vinnie Color Photos 8”x10”
Creatures 40th T-shirt Iron-on Transfer Sheet
“I Love It Loud” Bumper Sticker
Australian Creatures Sticker
Marcanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro 6/18/83 Replica Ticket
Creatures Tour “Detroit” VIP Cloth Sticky Backstage Pass
4 Killers-era Trading Cards
Creatures 1982 Replica Tour Program
Gene, Paul, Eric & Vinnie – Chris Hoffman Illustrations 9”x12”
Gotham Rock City News Volume 2 Newspaper – Track-By-Track Interviews with Gene, Paul, Eric, Vinnie, Michael James Jackson, Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance, Adam Mitchell and Mikel Japp
4 Glow-In-The-Dark Guitar Picks
Iron-on Patch
4 Buttons
KISS is America’s #1 Gold Record Award winning Rock group of all time and have sold over 100 million records worldwide. Peerless as a live act, the band’s illustrious legacy is marked by record breaking global tours. Now, after an astonishing 49-year career, KISS – Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer – are currently in the midst of their END OF THE ROAD tour.
TAKEN FROM FREE LSD, THEIR FIRST ALBUM IN EIGHT YEARS
PUNK SUPERGROUP WITH MEMBERS OF CIRCLE JERKS, THUNDERCAT, …AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD, AND MORE TO UNLEASH FREE LSD VIA FAT POSSUM ON 30TH SEPT, PRE-ORDER NOW
“It’s time to meet the group who the moral majority would most like to murder and the only group I can remember who’ve had a record banned by their own label… this is WASP!” Andy Kershaw.
Having sold over 12 million albums worldwide, WASP were one of the pre-eminent major label American Heavy Metal bands of the 1980’s. Formed in 1982 in Los Angeles California, the band built a large and dedicated global following with their eponymous debut album and subsequent releases including The Last Command, Into The Electric Circus, The Headless Children and more.
Managed by Legendary Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, the band played some of the seminal concerts of the era including multiple visits to the renowned Donington Monsters of Rock festival in England in 1987 and 1992 and also toured the globe with other seminal acts such as Kiss, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Dokken and many more.
WASP by Ross Halfin starts at the very beginning in Hollywood CA where Ross shot the band for the first time at The Troubadour – the famous club on Santa Monica Blvd which launched the careers of many artists including Motley Crüe, Guns N Roses and Elton John to name just a few. Ross would work with the band right the way through this period from the small clubs to headlining venues such as Long Beach Arena and Hammersmith Odeon.
This book offers a unique insight into the classic period of WASP with an array of Ross’ fantastic dramatic live photos, coupled with candid offstage reportage capturing the humour and spirit of the characters behind the instruments, as well as studio sessions that would become iconic and defining for the band.
In addition to the photography, former WASP guitarist and co-songwriter Chris Holmes provides anecdotes and memories throughout the book, sharing insights and stories for the very first time that provide a truly exceptional commentary that is an absolute must for all fans of the band.
There are also forewords from the band’s original manager Rod Smallwood and Photographer Ross Halfin sharing their own perspectives and experiences with one of America’s most notorious and influential Metal bands of that era.
This 300 page plus coffee table book features a 3D lenticular cover, is bound in red recycled leather and presented in a protective slipcase. Only 300 numbered copies are available worldwide and each copy is personally signed by guitarist and songwriter Chris Holmes. The book costs £275 plus shipping worldwide.
Pre-orders start Today September 2nd, 3pm UK time and the book will ship at the end of November 2022. Here A 10% pre-order discount can be claimed with the code WASP2022 at the checkout.
Following the massive success of the 2021 launch of KISS Cold Gin, Brands For Fans, KISS, and their licensing agent, Epic Rights, have responded to the overwhelming demand for another high-quality product with navy strength gin. As KISS are setting sail with their fans this October, there is no better place to experience this new spirit than on the high seas of the band’s very own KISS Kruise.
The history behind calling a gin ‘navy strength’ dates back to the 18th century when the British Navy stored their spirits next to gunpowder. Should the gin barrels split, spilling their liquid into the gunpowder, the higher strength content, a minimum of 57% alc/vol, ensured the gunpowder would still explode.
KISS Cold Gin Navy Strength 57% alc/vol has a five-time distilled base including juniper, lemon peel, and a selection of fine spices. There are no artificial flavours or added sweeteners. To maintain the highest quality, additional flavours of juniper and lemon are macerated and blended with the distillate, achieving a full balance of the botanical experience. This is a superior quality product, expertly created by globally recognised in-house master blender Daniel Henriksson.
KISS Cold Gin Navy Strength doesn’t just taste great, it looks incredible too! Impress your friends with this stylish bottle, including eye-catching silver and gold details, with all four band members metallically illustrated on each side of the Brooklyn Bridge. The main label features a gold disc and the iconic landmarks of New York City, including the Manhattan Skyline. The stunning art deco pattern behind the disc is based on the scales of The Demon’s boots. This label artwork is a magnificent homage to KISSTORY and the band’s musical roots.
“The KISS Spirit’s range, Drink It Up by KISS, has now sold over 250,000 bottles worldwide. We are so excited to launch this fantastic addition to the KISS portfolio and just in time for KISS Kruise,” says Yvonne Wener, head of Brands For Fans.
The product is available NOW, in the UK, mainland Europe, Sweden,
The Nordics, and in the US on Kiss Kruise at the end of October.
The rise of Californian ska punk band The Interrupters has been a steady one, yet it only seems 5 minutes since I was reviewing and excitingly raving about the debut album from these (as of then) unknown upstarts on Hellcat Records back in 2014. Now, Amy Interrupter and the Bivona bros are four albums into a glowing career and teetering on the edge of mega stardom.
Brand new long player ‘In The Wild’ has been out a matter of weeks and is already a triumph. Not only does it see vocalist Amy open up and confront the demons of her past, it also seems to be the perfect combination of anthemic punk pop and ska heavy dancefloor crashers. Produced in their home studio by guitarist Kevin Bivona, it is their most commercial, most well-rounded and surely their strongest album to date.
They have already been out on the road in the US promoting it with London dub reggae band The Skints, now it is time for The Interrupters to get hot and sweaty in Europe and the UK.
The Bar Stool Preachers are well into their set by the time we’ve got through the long queue and security to get into the Academy, and it’s nice to see the room is already pretty full for the opening band. The Brighton street punks go down well with the crowd and they seem to have bought some fans with them tonight, as there are plenty around me singing every word and loving it.
Their brand of ska-infused punk rock is high energy, hedonistic and a right good larf! I could lie and tell you I’ve seen them before and what songs they played, I haven’t and I ain’t got a clue! But I did make out last tune ‘Bar Stool Preacher’, and it was skankin’ goodness that hit the spot. Highly entertaining and I will certainly be checking them out after tonight.
It’s been a few years since I last saw The Skints, and it was at a much more intimate venue. The one thing I remember was how crystal clear the sound was on that night, and it’s pretty damn good tonight too. The Skints are a more mellow proposition than both the openers and the headliners but it does not detract from how good they are live. They’ve been treading the boards for 15 years now and it is no real surprise that The Interrupters have taken them under their wings. Their fusion of dub reggae, ska and punk is a very ‘London’ sound, and they sure lay down some powerful grooves.
With full use of the stage and a couple of risers at the front, the four-piece band enthralls the packed room with their 30-minute set. With vocals shared between guitarist Josh, drummer Jamie, and keyboard player Marcia, it is an eclectic set that covers their whole career.
What stands out most is how tight the band is and how effortless it all seems. While guitarist Josh is the chief crowd negotiator, with a bank of keyboards stage front, it is Marcia who is the focal point. Dressed all in black, her pink dreads flailing around as she smiles and sings while playing a variety of instruments throughout the set and triggering all sorts of percussive noises as she does it. Behind her, the rhythm section drives the whole thing perfectly. Hypnotic bass groove and solid drums keep the crowd moving.
‘Rubadub (Done Know)’ and ‘Rat-a-Tat’ are the perfect upbeat, summer sun-soaked opening one-two. With tongue twister raps that defy a sing-a-long and sweet vocals that flow on even sweeter melodies. ‘This Town’ is a live favourite and set closer ‘Learning To Swim’ rocks it up with some distortion. They even throw in a choice cover of Capdown’s ‘Cousin Cleotis’ that has Marcia earning her coin running between the two platforms for sax solos. Great stuff.
It seems like an age before the lights dim to huge cheers and the intro tape of The Specials ‘Ghost Town’ booms around the room. The anthemic ‘Take Back The Power’ sets the room alight, and down at the front it is a mass of ecstatic faces singing along with Amy Interrupter, who is right at the front singing for all she is worth. She is flanked by guitarist Kevin and bassist Justin, the livewire pair making the most of the space they have. We bounce as one and its over in a flash, straight into ‘Title Holder, and if that ain’t the perfect anthemic one-two to get a crowd excited, then I don’t know what is!
Ok, let’s get one thing straight, if you have come to an Interrupters show and expect to stand with your arms folded watching them play, then you better stand at the back because there is no chance of standing still, the band and the fans will not allow it. It is a time to lose your inhibitions, leave your phone in your pocket and dance like no one’s watching, and that is exactly what I, and everyone around me did. If you are not skankin’ along by third song ‘Judge Not’, then are you even awake in the Academy tonight?
The Interrupters preach family and togetherness in their lyrics and their live shows, and there is a sense of camaraderie all around me tonight, as middle-aged punks and seasoned gig-goers mingle with wild-eyed teens at their first gig and students of all shapes and sizes.
With a telecaster swinging from his knees, Kevin Bivona is the band leader and does most of the between-song crowd interaction. His twin brothers Justin and Jesse are arguably the tightest rhythm section around and keep the whole thing together, while Amy delivers raspy vocals that sit somewhere between Joan Jett and Brody Dalle. We dance, we sweat and we punch the air to a high-energy set of new and old from a band who are a well-oiled touring machine, and now have a very fine greatest hits in their arsenal to choose from.
Live favourite ‘She Got Arrested’ is bookended with newbie singles ‘Raised By Wolves’ and ‘In The Mirror’. In that moment, it’s the best trio of songs ever and to be honest, if the show had ended there and then, I could’ve gone home a happy man, but The Interrupters are just getting started!
There are crowd surfers galore, Amy encourages circle pits to form and who are we to deny her? I must say, there is no aggro, everyone is just having the time of their lives, and the band sincerely looked like they are enjoying it as much as we are.
The singer was clearly struggling emotionally introducing ‘Afterthought’ and had to take moment to compose herself by addressing the crowd; “when you write a truly personal song, you don’t think about actually having to perform it in front of a crowd”, she tells us. We all shared an intimate moment tonight and if you didn’t have goosebumps when she hollered that final note of the last chorus to the whole room, then you simply weren’t really there. Stunning stuff indeed, from one of the album highlights.
Other highlights of the set included killer versions of ‘By My Side’ and ‘A Friend Like Me’. The only time we get a real breather is when Kevin takes the mic and teases us with snippets of punk rock classics. He plays a riff, the band kick in and the crowd goes mental. ‘Ruby Soho’ was a given, right?
It ends with the majority of the crowd engulfed in a mass of pink and white confetti during set closer ‘She’s Kerosene’. And that’s it, job done, a killer 18-song set, no need for an encore, the band literally gave everything they had.
Tonight was a lesson in how to deliver an old-school, high-energy rock n’ roll show. The Interrupters are now seasoned pros, the band is tight and their live show is slick. The 2 support bands were a testament as to why you should always turn up early doors. 3 quality bands for £30, I’ll take that any day of the week, if you missed ‘em, you missed out.
Probably in a time when punk rock was still able to shock and could on occasion be seen as dangerous and offensive GG and Antiseen roamed American wastelands offending every pair of ears they came into contact with.
“Murder Junkies” was the seventh studio album by G.G. Allin and featured ANTiSEEN. It was GG Allin’s final studio album to be released during his lifetime, originally released in 1991. Jeff Clayton, lead singer of ANTiSEEN, has described this album as a mixed blessing. Although he is very happy with the way it turned out, he thinks that a lot of people got the impression that they are nothing more than a backing band for G.G. Allin. Clayton has stated that G.G. Allin was very professional during the recording of the album, and he wonders how much of G.G. Allin’s stage act was real and how much of it was “For The Marks”. Something I guess many people asked of the man.
Now, this album is being released for the first time as it was originally conceived, and it has been remastered in order to deliver the aggressive sound it was recorded with. From the opening chords and roll on the drums ‘Murder For The Mission’ bursts into venomous life. If you don’t know GG then look up his tumultuous life on youtube and be amused and repulsed in equal measures. There was a time however when he was a serious punk rocker and glam punk rocker and he actually made decent records when he put his twisted mind to it without all the circus hullaballoo that was GG Allin.
The sound is aggressive, raw and like a box of pissed-off snakes. Ten Tracks in the blink of an eye lurching from one thumper to the other ‘Stab Wound’ and ‘War In My Head’ rattle past towards ‘Violence Now’ which can never have too much cowbell.
I guess in a world where cancel culture and scrutiny of the arts are front and center maybe GG would never have survived even in the murky underground of Punk Rock, songs like ‘Rape, Torture, Terminate & Fuck’ would not have got past the sensors.
‘I Hate People’ probably sums up this release with self-destruction being the order of the day. I guess the image outshone the musicians at play and the cartoon character that was GG Allin definitely overshadowed the songwriter and when he actually put his mind to it could pen decent tunes. If you want to piss yourself and others off then get stuck into this slice of Scum Punk and remember to turn it up the neighbours three doors down might want to sample a touch of Murder Junkies.
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