David Ryder Prangley, ‘Black Magic And True Love’ (Serena Records)

David Ryder Prangley, ‘Black Magic And True Love’ (Serena Records)

The world needs stars. Real stars, self-made weirdos, who are forced to make their art because it’s a part of them. The downside is that the world at large ignores them nowadays. The gems glitter in the dark corners, hidden from view. David Ryder Prangley has always known this. Regardless, he helmed Rachel Stamp, and now Sister Witch. With this, his debut solo album, he is spoiling us.

 

While there are only seven songs, the quality demands your attention and cash. Yes, you can listen for free on Bandcamp, but if you love what you hear, grab a cd. Give me seven great songs over 30 minutes rather than another dull, drawn out album any time.

 

Yes, there is the anticipated, crunching glam sound, but also a broad palette of tunes. ‘They Came From The Stars To Capture Our Hearts’ opens the album, ethereal piano and vocals. I’m reminded of the stupendous Jonny Cola And The A-Grades, who, no doubt, owe a debt to Mr R.P. It’s beautiful.

 

‘Space Station Number Nine’ cranks up the riffs and drums, with some slinky, dual guitars. Music to pout to. ‘Trouble Every Day’, quite reasonably, sounds like Rachel Stamp. The production is great, proving that you don’t need a big budget if you know what you’re doing. ‘Forever In Starlight’ was the first track released with an accompanying video, plaintive and simple. I like to think that  Bolan would be making music like this. Love the guitar tone.

‘The Apple’ is an instrumental interlude, which brings us to the hip-shaking title track. Unashamedly glam, guitar and sax vying for attention. Prepare to strut your stuff. ‘Captain Sugar’ reminds me of Roxy Music and Prince, which takes some doing. It starts like something from ‘For Your Pleasure’, before the vocals get all fruity and the solo kicks off.

 

11th March, you can witness this for yourself at Nambucca, London. Sadly, I’m the wrong side of the channel now, but what’s your excuse? You won’t regret it.

 

Buy Black Magic And True Love Here

 

Author: Martin Chamarette

 

Rainy Days & Mondays (Extra Time)

Rainy Days & Mondays (Extra Time)

How could we not give this banger some time all on its own? The answer is simple we couldn’t so here it is in its whole gory glory the brand new video from The Good The Bad And The Zugly and the man behiond the (Oxygen) Mask

 

If you want more then how about some Bombpops?  Here they are with a track taken from the brand new album ‘Death In Venice Beach’ and the lead track ‘Notre Dame’

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

First up is the latest video offering taken from the brand new Lucifer Star Machine Album ‘The Devils Breath’. ‘Baby When You Cry’ is up first this week. Buy it at these retailers – Band / The Sign / Germany  /  UK  /  Bandcamp

Next up is David Ryder Prangley with a video from his latest solo album thats coming up on RPM

Finally how about the latest Tuk Smith & The Restless Heart with ‘Looking For Love, Ready For War’ video

Dirt Box Disco – ‘TV Sex Show’ (Avenue Recordz)

Dirt Box Disco – ‘TV Sex Show’ (Avenue Recordz)

So here it is boys and girls, the seventh (or eighth if you include the ‘Hooray! Hooray!’ compilation) studio album from those lovable punk rock anti-heroes Dirt Box Disco and it’s also their first since the departure of singer Weab.

With news of the frontman’s decision to leave the Disco sending shock waves through the punk rock community back in early 2019 masked guitarist and songwriting dynamo Spunk Volcano decided (with the help of his bandmates; Maff Fazzo on drums, Deadbeat Chris on bass and Danny Fingers on guitar) that the time was right for him to step forward and grasp the microphone with both hands and ‘TV Sex Show’ is the result.

I guess some of you will probably be thinking, “oh it’ll just sound like Spunk Volcano & The Eruptions now”, and yes, on one of two occasions like on the foot to floor mosh pit fight starter ‘VDTV’ and (the first of two bonus tracks on the CD version) ‘Tizwatitiz’ you might have a point, as both of these tunes could (to my ears at least) very easily have been written as Eruptions songs. But, and this is huge BUT, within the context of the fourteen songs (there’s twelve on the vinyl) on ‘TV Sex Show’ this is still very much a Dirt Box Disco record.

Kicking off with ‘Unstoppable’, this a song that is destined to be an immediate live hit. It actually reminds me in many ways of ‘Rum & Cola’ from the band’s ‘Are You Ready?’ EP released back in 2011. It’s a rousing call to arms, a song of solidarity, and a clear message that Dirt Box Disco are not going to be messed about with almost a decade into their career.

‘Insomniac’ which is up next is where ‘TV Sex Show’ really shifts up through the punk rock gears though, and coupled with the trademark Volcano/Fingers six string chugger that is ‘Barebones’ I have to admit that after thinking I might well me doing a Judy Collins by now and asking “where are the clowns?, send in the clowns”, I’m not, and this has to be down to the strength of the songwriting with the likes of ‘I Want Out’, ‘Reminisce’, ‘3 Bottles Down’ and ‘Bitch Full of Stitches’ being some of the catchiest songs the band have ever recorded, and I’m not joking when I say that the Disco sound positively supercharged during the likes of ‘Dickhead And Hype’ and album closer (well if you have the CD anyway) ‘Wake Up’.

There are a couple of tunes that I’ve still yet to fully get my head around, namely ‘The Count of Monte Cristo Lives in San Francisco’ which whilst insanely catchy still has the ominous spectre of ‘Reminisce’ looking over its shoulder, and the same could be said of ‘Ain’t Life Grand’ which is the LP closer that has me thinking I’ll have to buy the CD too just to hear ‘Wake Up’ which really is this set of songs very own ‘Dirtbox Days’.

It would have been all too easy for Dirt Box Disco to have called it a day after Weab left, but it is to Spunk, Maff, Danny and Chris’ credit that they have risen to the challenge by releasing their strongest set of songs since their err.. legendary 2012 album ‘Legends’. So, my advice to everyone is get off your arses check it out sharpish. Pre-sales for ‘TV Sex Show’ are live right now via and if you want to secure one of the mega limited 500 only vinyl LPs you best get your skates on and get clicking the linky.

 

Buy ‘TV Sex Show’ Here

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Author: Johnny Hayward

Wayne Hussey & The Divine – ‘Live At Yellow Arch’ (Self Release)

Wayne Hussey & The Divine – ‘Live At Yellow Arch’ (Self Release)

Wayne Hussey & The Divine – ‘Live At Yellow Arch’. Recorded over 2 days – 31st October and 1st November – during the rehearsals for the one-off show at Whitby, the album comes in CD and limited clear vinyl. with the CD having more tracks.

An incredible group of musicians along with Hussey has produced a mesmerising interpretation of some of the best tracks from The Mission back catalogue but also something new from the recent ‘Beauty in Chaos’ release, a song that Wayne wrote in the 1970s, and a version of Mazzy Star’s ‘Look On Down From The Bridge’.

Wayne said Working with The Divine was one of the musical highlights of his life. Something he might well revisit in the future.  To be honest, I’m not sure what I was expecting here, as I saw the tracklist there were songs I love that had been chosen and was certainly interested in hearing how they interpreted them but I can honestly hand on heart say I never expected them to sound quite so stunning.

I’ve long since admired Hussey and his music following the Sisters and then the Mission and collecting everything he’s ever recorded so I guess a bit of a fanboy if you like seeing him live many times over the years but I have also been critical along the way of what I thought didn’t work on times (very few I might add)  and happy to hear what did.

 

These recordings came for the rehearsals for the Goth festival in Whitby and in True Mission-style Hussy invited some fans along for the rehearsals and had the foresight to record what took place in front of the thirty or so onlookers over those two nights in Sheffield.

live, no overdubs, no going back to fix ‘things’ as you can hear when the lyrics go wrong on a couple of songs. (Nothing new there then.) It’s all about the performance.  For Hussey to suggest these songs would touch the listener in a way the originals didn’t is very astute because he was right on the money there.

The musical arrangements are nothing short of genius and interpretations stunning what the add and what to leave out is quite magical and you almost want to stop breathing so as not to miss one second of what’s going on.  It must have been awesome to witness this happening let alone playing on it.

It’s a simple concept of a small ensemble of strings, percussion,  a piano and guitar with a few voices t pull it all together. But don’t be fooled its as much about what gets left out as what you put in with the heartbreaking violin solo on the opening ‘Look On Down From The Bridge’ and the softly sung vocal its truly stunning from that opening drum shuffle.  Of The Mish tunes songs like ‘Never Again’ are reborn as is the beautiful ‘Like A Child Again’ but the ones that are changed the most like ‘Crystal Ocean’ is where the gold lies.  It must have taken forever to trawl through such a catalogue of songs to find what would work and to get it quite so spot on over all fourteen songs is extraordinary.

Of the more recent Mission songs ‘Swan Song’ is stripped bare maybe a more traditional interpretation but none the less dramatic in its delivery.  Of course ‘Tower Of Strength’ is still epic it always was and always will be but the violin here is brilliant but it is overshadowed by the delivery of ‘Forevermore’. A diamond of a record all fans of Hussey’s work need to hear this.  I am well aware that I’ve showered it in superlatives but hell, it deserves it.  Uplifting and inspiring. there’s always room in the world for light and shade and this is going to be a staple of relaxation and calm and stunning music by a genuine talent whos delivered over many decades and continues to do so.

If you do want to do this again Wayne you can bring the divine round my house and do it all again it would be a pleasure and I’d even chill the blue nun.

Buy ‘Live At Yellow Arch’ Here 

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Author: Dom Daley

POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit I – Rock & Rule

POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit I – Rock & Rule

It’s that time again, RPM-people, where I dip a retro-futuristic toe into the Pop Culture Schlock archive hoping to find something that will get your nostalgia nubs tingling and have you rushing to the secondary market seller of your choice, PayPal log-in details set to stun.

It’s the cavernous physical media section of the archive that I am plundering on this fine day, fingering a forgotten Eighties flick (that’s if you even knew of it in the first place!) that is more than deserving of the Cult Classic status that appeared desperately out of its reach as the film fell between the cinematic cracks, despite housing exclusive output from hit parade hot properties like Debbie Harry, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Cheap Trick, and, erm, Earth, Wind & Fire… but let’s not get ahead of ourselves…

 

1983’s Rock & Rule was the first fully animated feature film produced entirely in Canada. Nelvana, the studio behind it, was founded in 1971 and had reached for the pop culture skies several years later when it contributed to 1978’s much-maligned (long-forgotten if Lucasfilm could have its way) Star Wars Holiday Special; the studio creating the ten-minute animated segment that famously featured the first appearance of Boba Fett, the galaxy’s most-feared bounty hunter (well, until we found out that he was cloned from that bloke off of Shortland Street, at least).

 

Nelvana’s animators were ballpoints-deep in developing an animated feature entitled Drats! when they were approached by producer Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters, Stripes, Twins) to work on a feature-length movie based on the classic magazine, Heavy Metal. Nelvana nixed the idea in favour of producing its own title. Heavy Metal, the movie, eventually released in 1981, utilised the services of several different animation houses, took around twenty million dollars at the box office, and became a cult classic. Them’s the breaks.

Drats! toiled through a development hell of sorts; originally intended as a more child-friendly Grimm’s fairy tale-like opus, the project was subject to countless changes, from tone to title. Now called Rock & Rule, the project dashed into production without a completed screenplay. Re-writes abounded, characters were changed long after their original footage was completed, the studio had to move location part-way through production, investment dried up, and the production sailed past every deadline. At least Nelvana had the might of MGM/UA behind them. Well, not quite. Boardroom musical chairs at MGM/UA resulted in the suits who had fallen for the animated project being hung out to dry and new suitors, if you could call them that, were less than enamoured with the work as a whole. Cuts were demanded, voice actors replaced, the title changed to Ring Of Power, resulting in the movie being dead on arrival – buried by a studio before it even had a chance to find its audience upon eventual release in 1983. But why? Was it really that bad?

 

Watching Rock & Rule now it’s easy to find fault – the post-apocalyptic tone is diluted too often by comic relief characters more suited to Saturday morning cartoons, and the cuts demanded (two different versions actually exist; American and Canadian) make for a patchy viewing experience – but, as far from perfect as it is, there is plenty on offer for this forgotten film to warrant rediscovery. It is, however, the rock and roll of Rock & Rule that will be of the greatest interest to RPM readers.

The story in a nutshell: on a post-apocalyptic Earth where the population has mutated from rodents to human form, a legendary super rocker, named Mok, resides in Nuke York and is obsessed with an evil experiment that will bring forth a demon from another dimension. To do this he needs to find an angelic voice to sing a certain combination of notes. Meanwhile, in a seedy club, a fledgling rock band has a keyboard player just finding her voice. Her name? Angel…

 

Mok was originally to be named ‘Mok Swagger’ until the talent representation of Mick Jagger objected. How did they know at such an early stage of development? Well, the Rolling Stones frontman was considered for the role of Mok (no doubt why the animated character has lips-a-plenty), as were David Bowie, Sting, Michael Jackson, and Tim Curry. Don Francks – who had provided the voice for Boba Fett in the aforementioned Holiday Special animated sequence – was eventually cast as Mok, although the character’s musical sequences were performed by none other than Lou Reed.

 

Who could provide that angelic voice, though? Well, voice-over veteran Susan Roman was cast as Angel, but the character’s potentially demon-inducing singing voice was provided by Debbie Harry. Add to these that fact that Angel’s bandmate, Omar, had a singing voice provided by Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander, and the one-and-only Iggy Pop voiced the thing from another dimension, and you have a proper rock ‘n’ roll curio almost certain to be missing from many a collection.

‘Angel’s Song’ is, in fact, an early version of the song, ‘Maybe For Sure’, that would appear on Harry’s 1989 solo album, ‘Def, Dumb & Blonde’. This was just one of three songs written by Harry and fellow Blondie founder, Chris Stein, for the movie; the others being ‘Invocation Song’ and ‘Send Love Through’, the version of the latter featured at the climax containing lead vocals by both Debbie Harry and Robin Zander. Zander’s Cheap Trick bandmate, Rick Nielsen, penned three tunes for the movie (‘Born To Raise Hell’, ‘I’m The Man’, and ‘Ohm Sweet Ohm’), Lou Reed two (‘Triumph’ and ‘My Name Is Mok’), and Iggy Pop just the one (‘Pain & Suffering’). It’s the Earth, Wind & Fire tune that you want to know about though, right? Well, ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ plays out in a neo-disco scene set at Club 666. Now you’re interested!

 

Arthouse cinemas and film festivals provided the only opportunities to view Rock & Rule after its initial flop at release, aside from a rare mid-eighties airing on Canadian television, where it was promoted as a music special rather than an animated feature. Eventual home video releases on video cassette and laserdisc finally allowed the movie to find something of an audience until, in more recent times, a long-awaited double DVD release presented an anamorphic widescreen version to curious viewers and collectors alike. This digital versatile disc set is now out of print so good luck in finding a copy. I did, and it now resides in the Pop Culture Schlock archive where another curious item lies waiting to be fingered for my next RPM column…

 

Until then, keep watching the skies!

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Author: Gaz Tidey

The Levellers, Sean McGowan, Maelor Hughes-Blackwood Miners Institute 28/02/2020

The Levellers, Sean McGowan, Maelor Hughes-Blackwood Miners Institute 28/02/2020

It’s been a couple of years since my last visit to a gig in Blackwood, and for yours truly more is the shame with it being a simple 20minute drive away. The last band I caught over there were the Meat Puppets doing their first ever Welsh gig at the short lived Velvet Coalmine Festivals.

 

At the time I was stunned that more bands aren’t booked in and it becomes part of a natural gig itinery, being probably the best middle sized venue within a 30mile radius. The sound system is immense, the lay out spot on and access is so easy, makes you wonder who is actually doing the booking it could be a real gem and reignite the valleys music scene.

 

But on to tonight, opening up the show a couple of acoustic acts and first up Maelor Hughes a new artist for me, and to be fair a real surprise. When it comes to acoustica, I like it to grab my attention, to be a bit different, and the voice has to hold you and become the primary instrument, there’s nowhere to hide in this setting. Maelor Hughes certainly has that, the voice weaves around the guitar, each, taking its turn and the songwriting and lyrics of a travelling musician show real depths and understanding of the lifestyle and sacrifices to be made. Tracks like Morning Sun, Lullabies and Cards dealt stood out for me in a set with each song as strong as the next.

 

Now I have to say I’m beginning to think that the shall we say “not” regular gig goers are really beginning to piss me off at gigs, especially the ones that talk over an artist on stage, it’s even worse when as the music rises in depth and intensity they take it as a given to speak louder, “Really sorry you idiot if the music is getting in the way of your nite out!!!!!”

 

Second up a guy I caught on the last Levellers tour, Sean McGowan, bringing a very different style of acoustic performance, now if I was a rap fan and down with the kids I’d even say vocally there’s a lot in line with “Spitting bars” there’s an edge vocally, but a real sense of fun and identity and again doing something really different with the genre.

 

The crowd in fairness were there for both opening acts and with it being a sell out you could feel the atmosphere rise before the main act hit the stage and the Levellers were on fire tonight, opening up with the double shot of Liberty Song and Fifteen Years, they proceeded to raise the roof and bring the party, and the crowd responded accordingly. There was no let up through the night the sweat was dripping down the walls and it just got hotter and hotter as the night moved on. Levelling the land was well represented but there was also other snapshots of a band taken throughout their career, stand outs for me had to be the opener’s alongside stunning versions of The Game, Cholera Well, Riverflow, and a stunning One Way, absolutely one of those gigs where time flew and before you knew it we were at the end of the set, coming back with a jaw dropping encore of Another Mans cause, Carry me and the nights closer Beautiful Day, you couldn’t really have asked for more. Going back to where I started this review I just don’t get why this venue isn’t used more often there are so many bands out there who would really benefit from such a fantastic sound system and the experience of playing in this size venue.

Author: Nev Brooks

 

 

(Stop Worrying &) Love The Bomb – ‘Fake Nature’ (Big Neck Records)

(Stop Worrying &) Love The Bomb – ‘Fake Nature’ (Big Neck Records)

Washington DC has thrown up some monumental bands over the years and it also shat out a few crap ones as well (no doubt) Love The Bomb are from DC and they play punk rock and they certainly don’t come in the latter category.  Hell, they love The Ramones which immediately elevates them a few rungs up the ladder of Rock and Roll.  Where exactly they lie on the scale maybe ‘Fake Nature’ will reveal itself in good time.

We get underway with some cool brooding floor tom thumping and some spoken word samples as the music build to a roar as the vocals kick in with some lovely theft of the Ramones 1st rule is… To be fair its a really good opener and sets the bar fairly high as the energy level is amped up.

Now to be fair the band makes no secret of their love for Da Bruvers Ramone and to be honest why the fuck wouldn’t you. They were trailblazers and the writers of some of the best music ever committed to vinyl. It’s not merely a Ramones rip off happening here either that would be really unfair.  I got to review their debut album a few years ago and liked that so why wouldn’t I like this bad boy as well.  Correct. The production is sweet and represents the band really well it’s not too sugary nor is it so lo-fi that you lose interest.

The band plays hard and sounds like they are having a ball on tracks like the snotty ‘Perverse Mortgage’.  I love the tempo created by the drums that really drive the song and having two vocalists is a big asset to have. ‘Kinky Feeling’ borrows and bastardises a riff from the brothers Davies on the intro but hell, it’s not the Kinks if you get that impression. but it’s pretty close to ‘All The Day And All Of The Night’ right? right.  They go for broke on ‘Derek Wyld’ and really rock n roll it up with added power pop and a great Chuck Berry inspired 12 bar solo.

To shut the album down they slow it all down with ‘Let Dogs Sort em Out’ it’s not a ballad by any stretch but it does show they have it in their arsenal to step out of the fast lane and change it up and as a result, the record is all the better for it.  An enjoyable sophomore release from a band who sure knows how to Rock and Roll. Check it out!

 

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Punk ‘n’ Roll unit THE ROOZALEPRES release brand new music video!

Punk ‘n’ Roll unit THE ROOZALEPRES release brand new music video!

Italy’s THE ROOZALEPRES are rocking out hard, serving heavy riffs and some of the finest full speed ahead Rock ‘n’ Roll. If you love rearing guitars and fast songs, this band is just what you deserve for a rocking Friday night or a pleasant trip on the highway with your car. Lay back and enjoy “Alien Television Show”, the raging and brand new music video.

“We chose this song, first of all, because we like the idea of representing the meaning of the lyrics in a video and our friend Wötsu was certainly the right person to collaborate with. We knew she would have fun doing it. The song speaks about the violent act of playing songs itself, dictated by the desensibilization that all media impose to the masses, getting alienated and addicted to it. And the other reason of our choice is that “Alien Television Show” is the first track ever written by the band.“, the band comments.

THE ROOZALEPRES s/t album will be coming out March 13th on Go Down Records and is available for pre-order RIGHT HERE

For more info visit:
Facebook / www.godownrecords.com

Trash Knife – EP, EP (FDH Records)

Trash Knife – EP, EP (FDH Records)

Philly punks Trash Knife has put together a collection of trashy lo-Fi punk rock that enters the cranium via the ear and buries itself in the part of the brain that experts would designate as the pleasure zone. Tell me that ‘No Ones Dancing’ doesn’t cause involuntary twitches at the very least.

It’s not rocket science being performed here its punk rock n roll with a tonne of melody trashy guitars clashing with the drums that are taking a good hiding and some vocals that range from the softly whispered ear caressing to the fuck you and the horse you rode in on screams and shouts. The songs are between a minute or two long and that’s it.  wham bang ‘The Party Party’ to bass rumbling pogo of ‘Struggletown Freakout’ via the Damned like hands in pocket shuffle of ‘I’m Down’ this record is an explosion of colour and sound.  Like I said it might not be breaking any new ground but the path they take is well worn and they walk the walk so damn well.

 

Go throw yourself around to ‘Kill your Selfie’ and if anyone asks you to turn it down flip em the bird and let em know you’re playing Trash Knife for fuck’s sake!

If you’ve got a short attention span and like to have a soundtrack whilst you break things then hey jump on board this, no doubt about it. It’s perfect for a frenzied attack.  Who said punk was dead? Trash Knife ‘Ep/Ep’ get it.

 

FDH Website

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Author: Dom Daley