I think it was Lemmy who once said If Motorhead moved in next door your grass would die and if a nuclear war was to happen the only things to survive would be cockroaches and them, well, he was wrong. The Erotics would crawl out of some downtown bar on their hands and knees barely alive but hungover and ready to Rock. Ladies and Gentlemen the Motherfuckin Erotics are back in the room and they’re taking a swing at everyone and everything. they’re plugged in, loud and rockin’ out.
‘Knocking On Deaths Door’ is loud obnoxious and soloing with the best of them. It’s like a time machine has taken me back to the late 80s and I’m on the strip with a headache and a thirst for more loud Rock and Roll and then in the distance, I hear Micky Trash and the boys hauling ass and everything is on ten and there are fireworks exploding all over my speakers.
Sleazy aint the word and that Stooges saxophone on ‘Helltown Boogie’ is dirty, low down and dirty as fuck. The guitars are loud and distorted and there is added harmonica and sax here and there and Micky sings in Spanish just for shits and giggles. It’s like classic Cooper meets some dirty Noo Yawk attitude some sleazy hard rock and punk swirling round a tumbler full of cheap whisky it’s not good for you but you can’t get enough of it. It’s broadway but late at night – it’s razzmatazz but out of step.
‘Diamonds’ is laid back mixing up some Guns n rose when they were fresh and up for it. you might have stumbled upon this late night in the St Moritz club way back in the day and most of those glamourous punks have gone away but thankfully some are still here and some are called The Erotics.
‘Too Hot To Stop’ has got a classic sleazy riff and it’s twirling its mic stand like a punk rock Diamond Dave. For sure The Erotics aren’t gonna change the world or sell a million records but they are honest and clearly love what they do and the world is a better place with them in it and that’s good enough for me as they play their hearts out living the dream lying in the gutter looking at the stars and feeling like a million bucks and if you ain’t wearing a smile when that riff kicks in on ‘Bless Your Heart’ then you might wanna go to the Emergency room to check for a pulse. Power to the Erotics and all who set sail with them it’ll be the best of times I’m sure of that.
Hurriganes’ original guitarist Ile Kallio had returned to the band to replace Albert Järvinen in June 1975. The situation was very different from when Kallio left the band three years earlier at the beginning of the band’s career. Hurriganes had quickly become the country’s most popular band, and also Kallio’s debut recording in Hurriganes’ ranks, Crazy Days, released in 1975, sold the amount entitled to a diamond disc in an instant.
In April, Svart Records will release a 4-LP or two-CD package consisting of live recordings, which documents the stage energy and playing condition that the renewed band had on the tour after the release of Crazy Days.
The material of the Crazy Days on the Road box consists of live tapes recorded by singer Hande Mertanen, which were originally intended for the band’s private use. The three best gigs of the post-album tour – Oulu (24.11.1975), Hämeenlinna women’s prison (13.12.1975) and Pori (2.1.1976) – have been selected for the collection, and the tapes have been restored and mastered by Finnvox.
The publication comes with a nice booklet, which contains Risto Vuorimiehe’s wonderful photos from the Crazy Days tour and accompanying texts by editor Pekka Laine. The collection contains 145 minutes of previously unreleased live recordings and 48 songs, two of which the band never recorded.
Svart Records will release the Crazy Days on the Road box set as a set of four vinyls and two CDs on April 21, 2023.
In addition to the traditional black vinyl, there is also an orange vinyl edition that is only sold in the Svart store, which comes with a Crazy Days themed sticker sheet.
Suzi Quatro is the trailblazing Queen of Rock’ n’ Roll. Not only a global legend who has sold over 55 million records worldwide, she is also a record producer, actress (Happy Days, Minder, Absolutely Fabulous, Dempsey and Makepeace, Rock School), poet, author and radio presenter (BBC Radio 2)
Under the renowned Tennessee-based legendary independent record label, Sun Records, often referred to as the place “where rock and roll was born,” Suzi has released a 6-song cover, EP . Uncovered boasts cameos from famed two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning guitarist and songwriter Steve Cropper (Booker T. & The MGs, Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, The Blues Brothers) on two iconic tracks he co-wrote, Wilson Pickett’s “Midnight Hour” and Otis Redding’s “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay.” The first single from the EP see’s Suzi digging into the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic, “Bad Moon Rising” and is Out Now.
The EP includes six incendiary renditions of popular 1960s and 1970s rock n’ roll and soul classics filtered through Suzi’s distinctive musicality – showcasing her honey and whiskey rasp – Uncovered features nuanced and grooving musicianship that keeps each song’s timeless intentions aflame, while the musicians also punch the jams up to match Suzi’s hard rocking energy. Completing the impressive track list are Suzi-fied versions of Carole King’s “I Feel The Earth Move,” James Brown’s “The Boss,” and Rufus Thomas’ “Walking The Dog.”
Suzi says: “Since I first picked up a bass guitar and started playing and singing in my first band in 1964, many artists helped show the way, I honor them here with this eclectic choice of songs. Every one of them is here for a reason. Thank you all for your inspiration.”
Since her debut in 1973, Suzi has released 63 singles, 18 studio albums, 20 compilation albums, and two live albums. Over the span of almost 50 years, Suzi is reported to have sold over 50 million records worldwide. Select career highlights include her UK chart-topping singles, “Can the Can” (1973) and “Devil Gate Drive” (1974), and her recurring role as the bass player Leather Tuscadero on the popular American sitcom Happy Days.
To this day, Suzi remains active as a touring and recording musician, and she also keeps busy working in radio broadcasting.
The Dwarves have been thrashing concert halls and destroying eardrums for four decades, but all of their records have never never been in print at the same time…until now! Greedy Media is proud to present a slate of reissues guaranteed to turn on music fans and Dwarves heads as well!
These reissues join the rest of the Dwarves discography – classics like: The Dwarves Are Young & Good Looking (1997); Must Die (2004); Born Again (2011); Invented Rock & Roll (2014); Take Back the Night (2018) and the compilations Lick It (1983-1986) and Free Cocaine (1986-1988). And the rest of the unique Greedy Records catalog: Penetration Moon (1993); Earl Lee Grace (1996); and Candy Now (2007).
A first time pressing on vinyl for this the twelfth Album released by the former Thin Lizzy guitarist. Gary Moore played with a style and passion for his craft that was heralded around the world for his style and songwriting ability. His virtuoso guitar playing and soulful voice being loved far and wide and his premature passing has been sadly missed by fans and musicians around the globe and from all styles.
Having played in numerous legendary bands including Thin Lizzy and Skid Row, alongside his own solo career, Moore is regarded as one of the most influential Irish musicians of all time. Having been honoured by both Gibson and Fender with signature guitars, the Northern Irish star is still regarded as one of the best guitar players of all time. Its funny when long after their passing people still crave the back catalogue of revered artists like Moore so it’s no surprise that ‘A Different Beat’ gets the vinyl treatment (finally) spread over two records it also includes a remix of ‘Can’t Help Myself’ (E-Z Rollers remix)’.
‘A Different Beat’ sees Moore exploring a new direction, in this case combining his love of the blues and his guitar work with contemporary dance beats. Fusing blues and dance music ‘A Different Beat’stands as the boldest thing Moore ever did. A move too far for some and one giant step for others. From the off the distorted guitar work makes way for a beat more akin to the Happy Mondays guitar based dance music rather than trad Blues. I know Moore loved some Hendrix and there are moments throughout this record that have you imagining that this is something Jimi might have tried had he not left this earth as well it’s not like he hid his admiration for Hendrix because he funks up ‘Fire’. Moore also had a better singing voice than he possibly got credit for and had a fair set of pipes that are well worked on songs like ‘Lost In Your Love’. and his take on ‘Fire’.
Moore loved to turn it up but he also had a softer gentler touch. ‘Worry No More’ is more laid back but whilst pushing boundaries like the pure funk of ‘Fatboy’ with all its tricks and grooves. like on the I’m sure he’d have chuckled to himself when making this Marmite record but having it pressed on Vinyl might be the opportunity for fans to look back and show some love for a real guitar legend who really did mess with the Blues.
Oriental Beat by Hanoi Rocks gets the redux treatment, officially mixed and revived from the original sessions, and released on March 17th on deluxe vinyl, CD and digital formats.
Michael Monroe says: “now, 40 years after its original release in 1982, we finally got the album sounding as great as it deserves, with no overdubs or samples,” and McCoy adds that: “It’s better now than ever. This is what it was meant to sound like. So enjoy it…Another shot of Hanoi Rocks”.
Pre-orders are open! We got black, blood red and exclusive blue vinyl Pre Order Here
It’s a surreal feeling, preparing to write a review for a new album by Dr Feelgood just days after the announcement of Wilko Johnson’s death. While Wilko’s recent health issues have been well documented, quite literally, his passing was a shock. For myself and so many others, he was an influence and the heart of the original line up.
That said, the current line up have achieved the feat of releasing an album of eleven new songs, all original compositions, which I believe is a first for the group. I admit that I’ve not paid close attention to their recent releases, but on hearing ‘Don’t Pull Your Punches’ on Spotify, my ears pricked right up. Something familiar here, a bit more muscle and intention than expected. Checking their website, I saw that guitarist Gordon Russell has rejoined the group, which goes some way to explaining it. No disrespect to anyone else, but he was always a class act; ‘Doctor’s Orders’ was great largely due to his playing.
So, he and vocalist Robert Kane have written a whole set of originals, from the addictive aforementioned tune, onto the more bluesy ‘Put The Blame On Me’ with its slide riff and harmonica. The album pitches its sound perfectly between Russell’s original sound whilst incorporating both styles of Wilko and Gypie. Put simply, it’s like they’ve rediscovered the fire in their belly. ‘Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is’ wouldn’t shame Mr Brilleaux, with its Canvey Delta strut, and ‘Damn Right I Do’ is like a tip of the hat to Mr Mayo. Class. It’s quite a shock.
Kevin Morris and Phil Mitchell hold down a tight rhythm section, as expected, which shines on the Wilko-flavoured ‘Take A Second Look’. It only slows down for ‘Blues Me’ and ‘I Need A Doctor’, but, crucially, the quality doesn’t drop. ‘Mary Ann’ sounds like you’ve always known it, the head starts nodding, and it brings a smile. Kane never tries to sound like Brilleaux, and his style suits the songs. ‘Inside Out’ should get your feet shuffling, simple but effective, while the instrumental ‘Last Call’ finishes things off in style.
After the first listen, I had to play it again. This album really is worthy of the name Dr Feelgood, and I don’t say that lightly. My Wilko portrait tattoo is testament to that. Sometimes life provides a pleasant surprise, just when you need it. It’s been a bittersweet week, but the Feelgoods have an album to be proud of.
I loves a book, a real book with pages and everything especially when it’s about Rock n Roll and its excesses be it 100% honest or half honest and half bullshit but a good yarn all the same, I’m in. Come Join Del Greening, aka Del Strangefish, on a soul-destroying, ill-fated, near-100% real, everyday tour through the depths of rock ‘n’ roll without the private planes and seven-star hotels.
A chaotic 45-year ‘mission’, playing guitar, singing and producing records for iconic punk band Peter and the Test Tube Babies and his seven-year glitch sliding further down the slippery walk of shame with legendary rockers Flesh for Lulu (A band I happen to love). A bit harsh that Flesh For Lulu were a great band and featured the talents of One-time Urban Voodoo Machine six stringer Nick Marsh. Anyway, Let’s not get side-tracked.
He might well be misunderstood, Del turns his hand to touring the world, working with outrageous chart-toppers such as Ian Dury and the Blockheads and Lily Allen, until his sordid world of misadventures is brought to a grinding halt by the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. This book is an unadulterated page-turner, over 300 pages of tales with pages of colour pictures from Del’s own archive. It’s 40 Chapters! either dive in from start to finish or dip in here and there its an easy read that lends itself well to the latter.
I recently giggled my way through Dwarves infamous drummer Vadge Moore’s autobiography and kept looking over my shoulder wondering if and when the taste police were going to show up and feel my collar so to speak. Well, Dels might not be quite as depraved, but it is certainly a page-turner. Lily Allen and Tony Hawkes are written about as is Lemmy. Del dishes the dirt in a funny engaging way that is a must-read for anyone who – like me loves a good Rock n Roll read. Its like the geezer sat in the pub telling stories tall or not I can turn page after page of this fluff.
Peter And The Test Tube Babies might not be a household name but fuck me sideways they had a laugh. Riots, punch-ups and everything in between. I never thought West Brom would get mentioned along with the odd arrest here and there but they are. Del doesn’t dress his tales up and there are no big words to bamboozle you with to give off the impression he’s a clever chap – far from it. It’s like a chat in a pub with a top bloke who knows he has a story or ten to pass the best night out away in a memorable fashion.
His early years seem quite normal and unspectacular and he lays his childhood out in unspectacular facts. Lucky Del I guess. He writes about early punk and how the Test Tubes came into being and tales of harassing John Peel without a care in the world. There are plenty of recounted stories from people who were there as some sort of legitimacy tactics from Del and maybe on times a way of passing the buck of responsibility for what went on but it works well and does indeed add weight to some of the tales. Christ, I wouldn’t remember what happened last week sometimes let alone decades ago. Girls for a pound wouldn’t happen today, would it? Look I don’t want to spill the beans on this mighty tome I’ll just let you know that it’s well worth the read and once again Those Tome & Matter boys have delivered a mighty fine read for the discerning punk rock reader. ‘Jinxed’ is right up there with the best of ’em – really well written and funny as hell. I highly recommend this book and like me you’ll be checking out the Del catalogue of work and appreciating some fine music from over the years.
NOT AVAILABLE IN BOOKSHOPS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM TH WEBSTORE: Here
During the pandemic downtime, Marino has been writing a lot. As sort of a little songwriting challenge every once in a while he’d write some Ramonescore tunes. Considering that, it is almost a concept album. Most of the songs were written in 2020/2021. However, a couple are some of his first attempts at songwriting circa 2004.
Brad Marino was originally going to release this under an alias but decided to just make it a Brad Marino album on the advice of some of his closest people. It’s different than “Looking for Trouble” and “Extra Credit,” but it’s all rock and roll. Brad Marino did vocals and all instruments on the LP, except for drums, which were handled by Beau-Beau Basement.
Hell, not enough bands are worshiping at the altar of Da Bruthers and knocking out the rhythms. I know times change and music evolves but every now and again its wonderful to hear that at least someone still gets it. From the brattish riff-a-rama of those downstrokes to the Joey drawl and those insanely catchy melodies Dee Dee wrote in his sleep. ‘Communist Creep’ being one of the finest tunes Dee Dee never wrote.
Man, Brad must have been gutted that only he and the drummer were in on this bad boy. Twelve tracks of unadulterated joy from the player to the listener this is a wonderful tip of the hat. there are times I have to stop myself from wondering what Ramones album this or that was left off haha! running the whole gambit of Ramones styles Marino nails it song after song and for a lockdown project I’m yet to hear anything come close to this bad boy. Take a bow Mr. Marino you’ve done yourself proud and you’ve done the Ramones legacy a huge tip of the hat and ‘Baby Doll’ is just a killer. I don’t want to jinx another lockdown on anyone but who else could possibly get the tip of the hat treatment? Maybe every year you could do an EP at the very least, just a thought.
Sometimes I drift off to this place in my mind where it’s the summer of 1973 and I’m not six years old, but sixteen, and alongside a few hundred other lucky people I’m crammed in to a venue watching three of my favourite UK cult bands from that same era; Hollywood Brats, Heavy Metal Kids and Silverhead.
That gig of course is the stuff of dreams, pretty much like this soon to be released 6 CD box set from my dream gig headliners Silverhead felt like back in the days when a CD copy of the band’s much sought after ‘Show Me Everything’ album (which is included here) would have cost you more than this box set does right now on pre-order. See dreams do come true after all!
Silverhead, for those of you who might not be aware, were a glam tinged hard rock band from the UK fronted by actor turned singer Michael Des Barres, and featuring soon to be Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison along with soon to be Robin Trower drummer Pete Thompson and soon to be Robert Plant guitarist Robbie Blunt, the latter joining the band for their seminal second album ’16 And Savaged’, a song from which, this box set takes its name. The rest of band being made up of guitarist Rod ‘Rook’ Davies (who had played with The Riot Squad alongside David Bowie prior to Silverhead) and for the band’s self-titled debut album guitarist Stevie Forest.
Signing to Purple Records in the early 1970s to release said debut album they toured with the likes of their label bosses, Kiss, Nazareth, Uriah Heep and perhaps somewhat bizarrely highlifers Osibisa along the way to what they hoped would be the road to stardom.
On paper at least, whilst their touring partners may seem to have been akin to some random lottery pairing, when you get to hear the band and in particular their (Martin Birch produced) self-titled debut record from 1972 it all makes much more sense. So, whilst the likes of album opener ‘Long Legged Lisa’ and ‘Sold Me Down A River’ both doff a top hat to Marc Bolan it’s the more bluesy based boogie rock of their second single ‘Rolling With My Baby’ that the band seemed to become more renowned for producing.
The five guys most certainly looked like New York Dolls (I mean just look at the video I’ve linked here) but the semi-balladic ‘Johnny’ and ‘In Your Eyes’ sounded more like my imaginary gig partners Heavy Metal Kids during their more reflective times. In saying this their debut single ‘Ace Supreme’ is a knockout blast of Bowie-esque glam that everyone should have in their collection, and it’s included here along with its b (that’s b for boogie) side ‘Oh No No No’ and the 7” version of ‘Rolling With My Baby’, which sheds 1 minute off the album version.
It’s the band’s self/co-produced second album ’16 And Savaged’ (recorded with help from engineer Alan Harris and keyboard tech Stuart Wicks) that, for yours truly, is the absolute jewel in the band’s crown. Here, they slightly up the glam influence of their debut on the likes of opener ‘Hello New York’, whilst also embracing a new Zeppelin-esque vibe on the album’s title track (a direction Des Barres would most certainly follow with his next band Detective).
Elsewhere, during the fantastic ‘Cartoon Princess’ there’s a Southern rock feel to the band’s boogie rock via some of slide guitar playing, whilst on the album’s sole ballad ‘Only You’ Des Barres still sings with all of the grit of an in his prime Gary Holton but the song itself is much more in The Faces camp rather than the Heavy Metal Kids this time of asking.
If that all wasn’t enough, there’s four curios added here as additional tracks, with both ‘James Dean’ and ‘Marilyn’ showcasing a Silverhead fired up post the Purple Records deal turning sour, and by direct contrast we also get to hear ‘Leon’, the middle of the road post Silverhead 7” single released by Des Barres, complete with its b side ‘New Moon Tonight’, which has a country rock influence running through it.
The other four CDs included in this mighty box set are given over to 4 previously released live albums (one and a half of which, I’d never heard before) which given the nature of the band’s brief post Purple Records existence all come with a health warning regarding the quality of some of the source material.
It’s the ‘Live At The Rainbow’ that gets me closest to feeling what it must have been like to have actually seen Silverhead live. Recorded in November 1973 when the band supported Nazareth, the original eight track LP (originally released via EMI in Japan in 1975) is expanded to thirteen tracks here (adding in tracks from a BBC In Concert show from 1973 recorded at London’s Paris Theatre), and they sound absolutely astounding. Des Barres spitting out his gravelly vocal lines over a band that sounds like they are playing as though their lives depended on it. Well for the Rainbow set at least. That’s because for the additional BBC tracks the band sound much more like they are merely playing through tracks from their then current album, but such is the nature of those kind of radio shows, I guess. They still sound ace mind, just not so fired up as during the Rainbow set.
The ‘Show Me Everything’ CD I mentioned at the top of this review is up next, and this echoey semi-bootleg quality recording of the band’s seven track set at Alexandra Palace in 1973 complete with a further six tracks from a much better sounding Japanese show, recorded on January 19th, 1974 (more of which in second), is a decent enough live document of the band, albeit the king’s ransom it once used to command on a certain online auction site is most certainly put into context here.
The fifth disc here is the 2019 released ‘Berlin Blackout’ soundboard quality recording, which captures Silverhead’s eight track live set from a February 1973 show at the Sportpalast, Berlin. This is a head and shoulders above the quality of Alexandra Palace show on the proceeding disc, and having never heard this show previously whilst it doesn’t quite match the intensity of the Rainbow 1974 show its still the sound of Silverhead firing on all cylinders in the live setting.
Originally released in Japan back in 2021 as part of a double CD set going under the curious title of ‘Hitting Japan, Beating Japan’, the sixth CD in this box set captures an eleven song Silverhead live set from January 19th, 1974. Which, those more eagle eyed amongst you might have already spotted was the source for the bonus cuts on the ‘Show Me Everything’ disc. Yup it appears that is indeed the case and ‘Live In Japan’ is in fact the expanded version of those songs, complete with Deb Barres’ between song patter restored instead of the between song fade outs that are on the ‘Show Me Everything’ extras. I find this more than a little disappointing as the other disc in the Japanese only release was from Tokyo Koseinenkin Hall on January 10th, 1974, so if I want to hear that one, I need to look for it outside of this “Complete Recordings” box set.
That very small quibble aside, this is still a top notch purchase for anyone looking to discover the music of Silverhead and the excellent Malcolm Dome penned sleeve notes reprinted from the 2016 Purple Records CD reissues of the first three albums presented here as a 24 page booklet make for a very interesting history lesson indeed.
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