“a spiral scratch
gave me my life back
a vinyl solution
ended my confusion
I heard a voice in the noise pollution” – Mike Peters
Since the beginning of Rock and Roll, the 45 has been an integral part of a bands arsenal. Maybe in 2018, it’s not quite the marketing tool it once was back in the 50’s, 60’s and beyond and bands no longer sell hundreds of thousands of the beautiful seven-inch plastic circles. There are however many different ways of letting people know you have a few new tunes available or you might (like me) still be in love with the vinyl single. Here at RPM, we’re going to celebrate the little beggars and let you know what is available in our regular roundup and what’s been on rotation on our deathdecks.
What better place to start than with a good friend and his debut 7″.
Craggy Collyde – Sorry Now (Self Released)
With a two-track release being the format of choice Craggy gets down to business with a pair of fantastic slices of power pop that are infectious and memorable. ‘Sorry Now’ is also featured in the video link below and can be ordered off the Bandcamp site. The lead track is a measured catchy number that has a great power pop feel with some indie undertones sort of Buffalo Tom territory whilst the more sprightly B-side ‘Go Ahead And Break Me’ is a song with a foot in the cowpunk of the Supersuckers but more pop savvy and Craggy manages to rinse out a great guitar break as well. Very infectious and well worth checking out.
Lana Loveland – Strange Charms (Hound Gawd!)
Fuzztones – Garage Rock – psychedelic retro freak out we fuckin’ love it here at RPM.Lana Loveland has the credentials and chops worthy of joining our little club of seven-inch plastic lovers. Being Organist with The Fuzztones as well as being a member of the Music Machine and fronting her own band Loveland certainly keeps her busy and out of mischief ‘Strange Charms’ is the A-Side whilst ‘Web Of Sound’ back things up on the flip side.
Maybe leaving a seven-year gap is quite some time between releases but some things are worth waiting for. Fuzzed out guitars and 60’s pop being the main ingredients here what’s not to like? Over on the other side its hammer time (no not the rapper in the daft trousers but Hammer Horror) its a spooky garage rock mash up and with a modern twist its great to hear someone doing something new with something they have had for years. Anyways Hound Gawd Don’t do bad records we know that much so go investigate and get some fantastic new music in your head just click the link.
Muck & The Mires – Hashtag Loneliness (Rum Bar Records)
Muck and the Mires’ official video for ‘#Loneliness’ from the EP MUCKUS MAXIMUS, available on Rumbar Records: Its power poppin’ baby but has the honking Hammond as well as the classic Rickenbacker twang. You don’t need me to tell you about Rum Bar Records bands and how good they are and Muck are no exception. For latest Muck and the Mires tour dates, go to Website
Poison Boys – Poppin’ Eyes (Bandcamp)
Oh Boy, you just knew that this was going to rock and fucking roll right outta the speakers and sure enough within the first bar I know that I’m having this bad boy. Poison Boys are mainlining Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers and some Chuck Berry and a whole bunch of other golden oldies and along with their brothers from another mother in Crazy Squeeze and countless other great bands they are just nailing it on ‘Bustin Out’ and they shine up the brass knuckles on the altogether more bruising ‘Run And Hide’ that taps into Stiv and his Dead Boys for some down and dirty punk rock and I love it. don’t walk on by brothers and sisters this is the bomb! Now get on with an album before it ends in tears – Poison Boys are killing it – again! Facebook
Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam – ‘Meatloaf To The Camera’ (By The Time It Gets Dark Records)
(pre-order here) The second single from the soon to be released album ‘Black Cowboy’ its all loud guitars and chiming melody like a collision between Teenage Fanclub and The Lemonheads SFL have amassed over a hundred songs and show no sign of stopping just yet so until November 9th this will more than do to pass the time. You can catch the band around the UK in November 02 Nov – The Lanes – Bristol
03 Nov – Sunflower Lounge – Birmingham
04 Nov – The Castle – Manchester
05 Nov – Wharf Chambers – Leeds
08 Nov – The Portland Arms – Cambridge
09 Nov – Rough Trade – Nottingham
11 Nov – Old Blue Last, London
Gino And the Goons ‘She Was Crushed’ (Slovenly Records)
A heady mix of The Ramones and some Lo-Fi X-Ray Spex this has some great loose saxophone playing whilst ‘Got Messed Up’ is a thrash around whilst pissed out of your head kinda tune. There’s no autotune and no overdubs. ‘Wrong Side Of The Cigarette’ is all hocked up on late 70’s lower east side smash and grab punk rock and we love it and so would a youthful Richard Hell. Finishing up with ‘Early Retirement’ just about kicks over the toms and bass drum and takes out the mic stand as well before running off down the street before the cops turn up. Rock and fucking roll alright! Awesome ‘n snotty – Buy It
Les Lullies – ‘7 am’ (Slovenly Records) 
Oh boy oh boy, it’s like Jerry Lee hooking up with Chuck Berry and snorting two tonnes of amphetamines before laying down this barnstormer. Flip it over and you’ve got the cocksure swagger of ‘Dog Food’ that’s like the Dolls rockin’ out with Angus with a healthy amount of Iggy attitude. Doing France proud and doing it fuckin’ loud! What a great 45. Here
The Cavemen -Burn Out For Love (Dirty Water Records/Mandinga Records) Oh fuck if having an album released in 2018 isn’t enough and some sporadic live action the purveyors of filthy low down and wild ‘n’ dirty garage punk are back in the house with a 7″ slab of frantic rock ‘n’ roll in the shape of ‘Burn Out For Love’ the b side is no hiding place for a shrinking violet because if anything the craziness is turned up a notch on ‘Dancing On The Razors Edge’ and what a beautiful racket it is too. Click the link to sample these exotic fruits and then pick up a copy its a banger!
Well, folks, there’s got to be something in there for everyone unless Black Metal is your thing? Worry not we’ll regularly round up singles here and if a black metal band has something to offer then we’ll cover it. Forty-Five RPM indeed.
