“And The Beetle Trumpets…”. Recorded at Rock On Studios in Annecy, France in May this year. The Band is called Vocal Remover Requested. Not a band name that rolls off the tongue I’ll admit but when you see the personnel involved.  Those of you of a Rock and Roll persuasion will be all over this record like a rash and so you should be.

With the songwriting duties shared between mr Honest John Plain

and Sergeant No Voice with arrangments from Lester Greenowski and hitting the drums a certain Stéphane Renaud who many will know from the Punk Rock Menopause album released by the Boys.  now you know a bit about the people involved take a second to wonder what this might just sound like.  Ready? … There that wasn’t rocket science, was it?  Its a rock and fucking roll record of course and boy does it rock and roll.

Vocal Remover Requested has got everything bar the kitchen sink thrown in (it might even have that) laid out over fourteen songs.  As soon as you get that crisp slap of the snare they’re off.  The sludgy distorted Rock and Roll is happening and honest John Plain is right on form. ‘Personal Rain’ is a fine opener on this plain and simple rockin’ record.  There are no airs and graces here just a good time, No make that a great time played by people who really mean it man, not some Johnny come latelys jumping on a bandwagon but lifers with rock and roll coursing through their veins, playing rock n roll music that’s best left to the professionals and shouldn’t be tried at home unsupervised unless you’re sufficiently proficient like say Honest John Plain.

I love the melodies and the deadpan delivery of ‘Handle With Care’ as the music motors on and crashes into the next one ‘Self Sorryness’ is a traditional romp with Honest John shouting the counter chorus back at Sergeant and then ripping into the solo.  Classic and always a joy to hear. You just know that these songs would make for one hell of a great night out imagine happening upon some sleazy smokey bar and this is blasting out from the stage – me I’d be ecstatic and you just know that the louder you get your speakers the better this is going to sound.  the songs are about everyday life birds, booze with a cheeky wink and a smile.  the songs never go too fast nor do they  venture into genres or territories they don’t know this is a close relative to Plains day job with The Boys and not a million miles from The Amigos or the Crybabys and to end it all they take a seat and grab those acoustic guitars for a more gentle exit and I doubt they give a flying whatsit what any of us think but for what its worth I love it and highly recommend you grab yourself a copy before they’re all gone and then you’ll give a flying whatsit.

Author:Dom Daley.