Tyla’s second solo album ‘Libertine’, originally released in 1996, available on vinyl for the first time and strictly limited! Plus 2023 remastered CD with bonus demo tracks from the ‘Libertine’ era. The vinyl includes an exclusive art postcard set and poster signed by Tyla.
As he entered a brave new world post Dogs D’Amour under his own name he followed up the hugely impressive debut with ‘Libertine’ with a supeb set of accomplished tunes. I’m not sure hes ever bettered this album as a solo release and with th ebonus demos this is a must have release.
Formed in 1986, The Hangmen immediately caught the eye of Circle Jerks frontman Keith Morris, who began managing the band and produced the demos that landed them a deal with Capitol Records. In 1989 they released their self-titled debut produced by Vic Maile, (Motörhead, The Who “Live at Leeds”) before switching to the newly formed DGC Records whose roster included The Nymphs and Nirvana to name a few. That seemed like the perfect landing spot for the band, but unfortunately the Rob Younger (Radio Birdman) produced album Suicide Doors was never released and the band dissolved into addiction.
Not one to be down for long, a newly sober Small started writing again, the result was 2000’s Metallic I.O.U. released on the Los Angeles-based indie, Acetate Records. The Hangmen found a willing accomplice and partner in crime in label owner Rick Ballard, who produced their follow-up, We’ve Got Blood On The Toes Of Our Boots, a live recording of their OOP Capitol Records debut and 2019’s Cactusville. Tours with longtime fans Social Distortion and the Supersuckers followed. Mike Ness would later produce The Hangmen’s 2007 release In the City.“I totally feel like we’re kindred spirits,” Small says looking back, adding that both bands emphasize “simplicity, and doing what you do and staying true to that.”
In 2010, the popular Finnish record label Hype Records released Lost Rocks, an eighteen-song Hangmen retrospective. Shortly thereafter, former Supersucker Ron Heathmen joined the band for 2012’s critically acclaimed East Of Western. 2019 marked the release of Cactusville as well as a performance on legendary European television show, Rockpalast.
THE HANGMEN EUROPEAN TOUR 2023
13/09 WED PARIS, FR @ LA DAME DE CANTON
14/09 THU RENNES, FR @ LE NOKTAMBÜL
15/09 FRI St. GUILLES CROIX VIE FRI, FR @ ROCK THE SEA
Sydney Northern Beaches’ very own hard-biting rockers C.O.F.F.I.N have announced their fifth full-length entitled ‘Australia Stops’, the highly anticipated follow-up to their monumental ‘Children In Finland Fighting In Norway’ album from 2020. Due for release this coming September 15th via Bad Vibrations in Europe, the new album comes off the back of the band’s tour with Amyl and the Sniffers in 2022, and their recent UK tour dates in May.
To come down from down under and C.O.F.F.I.N. how about some Glam stomping Rock n Roll from the Clone Band.
Vancouver’s CLONE have just announced the release of their latest single on ZeroTrophy Records with an accompanying video for the song “Queen.” CLONE is a lush rock ’n’ roll collage that fuses the sequined swagger of 70’s glam with the DIY gut punch of early punk and polishes it all off with the audacious vocals of contemporary pop. Familiar yet totally unique, CLONE revitalizes the glory days, reminding us what rock and roll is all about. Their new single “Queen” was inspired by Catherine the Great as well as many other powerful women of history. Written during the pandemic, the band binge watched shows like Game of Thrones and The Crown as well as documentaries about Catherine the Great for inspiration. Lead singer Juniper Watters explained, “This was my way of honoring those daring women who fought and won in a world dominated by men.” Watters says she is extremely inspired by drag culture and is a huge supporter of the drag community. She identifies as a bio queen and the single “Queen” is also a celebration of her drag character, “Rocket Science.”
The video for “Queen” was directed and edited by guitarist Kelly Zombor and lead singer Juniper Watters. The video focuses on the band performing in a featureless white environment with each member dressed in white while playing white instruments. This limited palate is juxtaposed against wildly colorful scenes of Rocket Science playing two different Queens: the Virgin Mary and the Red Queen. Zombor says of the process, “We are a DIY band. We built the main set in our garage at our home in Vancouver and based the entire video around it.” It was photographed by Zombor, with production, design and costumes all being created and handcrafted by Watters. The entire video took 4 months to finish and the band has been documenting the process from beginning to end with BTS Time lapse footage that they plan to release to show their process in making the video. “Queen” was recorded at The Warehouse Studios in Vancouver over 3 days, engineered by Eric Mosher and mixed by Kelly Zombor in March 2023.
MISFITS & MISTAKES: SINGLES, B-SIDES & STRAYS 2007-2023, OUT OCT 27th ON MERGE RECORDS
Superchunk announce Misfits & Mistakes: Singles, B-sides & Strays 2007–2023, their fourth singles compilation, a massive 4-LP or 2-CD collection covering their triumphant return from hiatus up to present day – it sees release Oct 27th via Merge Records. The amount of ground covered within its gorgeous packaging is staggering: 50 songs (16 of which are on physical media for the first time) sourced from out-of-print releases, digital singles, compilations, and more – a vital piece of the Superchunk canon. Accompanying the announcement is ‘Sunny Brixton‘, the b-side of UK-only 7-inch ‘Learned to Surf‘, originally released in 2011 by One Four Seven Records.
Of Misfits & Mistakes, Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan writes:
“This collection covers a lot of ground, from heavy touring years to a pandemic where we made singles and an album at home. One difference between this comp and our first three is that this time span completely falls in the digital age; the distance from a final mix to everyone hearing it is shorter than ever. I’ve always liked artists who are prolific—throwing out singles in between albums when you least expect it. A surprise release from your favorite band is one of the few things that can still bring a little excitement to what can seem like an endless deluge of “content” (puke). Hopefully the wild swings between lo & hi fi and originals and covers on this comp still allow for some coherence and, more importantly, convey what’s FUN about this punk rock thing.
“‘Sunny Brixton’ was about staying with our friend and soundman Joe Hickey when he lived in a group house in Brixton in the ‘90s; it’s all true.”
In the tradition of Superchunk singles compilations, Misfits & Mistakes houses non-album tracks, demos, and cover songs sourced from 7-inches, compilations, and previously internet-exclusive artifacts. Featuring extensive liner notes by McCaughan (with additional notes from Laura Ballance), the collection tells the story of each release, from why they chose to cover songs by The Misfits, The Cure, Destiny’s Child and Bananarama, to working with collaborators like Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee), Jane Wiedlin (The Go-Go’s), Eleanor Friedberger, Damian Abraham (Fucked Up), Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley (Teenage Fanclub), and more!
Superchunk return to the road this autumn, touring the United States with Australian garage punk stalwarts Cable Ties before visiting the UK and EU for the first time since 2018 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of On the Mouth.
UK/EU tour dates:
Nov 2nd | Berlin, DE – Lido Nov 3rd | Bielefeld, DE – Forum Nov 4th | Schorndorf, DE – Manufaktur Nov 5th | Bologna, IT – TPO Nov 6th | Zurich, CH – El Loka Nov 7th | Karlsruhe, DE – Jubez Nov 9th | London, UK – Bush Hall Nov 10th | Bristol, UK – Strange Brew Nov 11th | Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club Nov 12th | Manchester, UK – Night & Day Nov 13th | Brighton, UK – Concorde 2 Nov 15th | Haarlem, NL – Patronaat
Canadian sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD are celebrating 40 eventful years of existence in 2023 with a special Anniversary studio album entitled Morgöth Tales, released worldwide now via Century Media Records.
Upon release this week, Morgöth Tales has entered the official album sales charts in Germany at # 36 and in Switzerland at # 94. Congratulations!
To further support the album’s release and their 40th Anniversary, VOIVOD are now launching a new live video of the song “Thrashing Rage” recorded by the Rockpalast / WDR team at the band’s recent appearance at Germany’s Rock Hard Festival
VOIVOD drummer Michel “Away” Langevin checked in with the following comment about the clip: “At the end of the last USA tour in May, Rock Hard Festival asked Voïvod to fill in last minute for Discharge, who could not make it. We last played there in 2015 and love the outdoor amphitheater as well as the metal family atmosphere on the site and backstage. One of the highlights for me was watching Brian Downey’s Alive and Dangerous from the side of the stage. Here’s “Thrashing Rage”, a cut from our May 27th, 2023 Rock Hard Festival show, filmed by the legendary Rockpalast during our “Morgöth Tales” tour, which is not over yet! See you on the road soon…”
First released as a limited run for RSD this iconic and memorable show is captured for the masses on vinyl and streaming with exceptional sound compared to the ropey less than perfect bootlegs that were available.
Recorded on November 15, 2002, the concert was a benefit for striking firefighters and would be one of Joe’s last performances (he passed away a month later). The performance features a three-song reunion with Strummer’s former bandmate from The Clash, Mick Jones, who reunited on stage for the first time in almost twenty years. When I first dropped the needle on this I was awash with emotion as I heard Strummer’s voice and it weighed heavily on my mind for a while just thinking about how I’d never hear his voice again nor get the chance to see him perform. Man I loved the Clash and I loved his solo output listened to more than most in my collection over the years and hearing his mid-song banter here is emotional. Dropping the C Bomb on Simonon and Topper before ‘Police And Thieves’ makes me smile even after hearing it for the umpteenth time. The band Strummer had put together under the Mescaleros banner were always loose yet tight and usually nailed the songs, even the old Clash classics when they opened that particular war chest.
It has to be said that the remastering and production on this official version is exceptional and every instrument has its space when played loudly through a good set of monitors or headphones it’s exceptional what you can hear spilling out. If it’s overdubbed later on I know not but frankly, I don’t care either – it’s a moment in time and one tinged with sadness and glory. the Clash penned some of their generation’s finest tunes no question and Strummer’s solo output isn’t too shabby either but I guess this release is all about the reunion however fleeting and brief. I’m glad it happened and they got to share this moment together and that it was captured for everyone to enjoy.
‘Johnny Appleseed’ and ‘Coma Girl’ sit very nicely alongside ‘Police On My Back’ and ‘I Fought The Law’ but truth be told I’d have paid £30 just for the encore with Jones ‘Bank Robber’, ‘White Riot’ and the appropriate ‘Londons Burning’ are killer, no doubt about it sloppy but oh so sweet. Rest In Peace Joe your body is sorely missed but your soul lives on and on. Buy It!
The Godfathers release an expanded 2CD version of their critically acclaimed ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta’ album on September 27th & announce 3 UK gigs in November where they will play their iconic 1988 album ‘Birth School Work Death’ in its entirety & other Godfathers’ classics & fan favourites.
The 26 track, new double album entitled ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta PLUS’ features the original album on CD 1 & a cornucopia of unreleased material on CD 2 – studio numbers recorded at the album sessions, previously unreleased alternative acoustic versions of key songs & ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta’ related live tracks from the band’s celebrated Rockpalast TV special performance in Germany in 2020, including an electrifying cover of The Stooges ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’. Full track listing for ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta PLUS’ below:
CD 1 – Alpha Beta Gamma Delta/Bring On The Sunshine/You Gotta Wait/I Hate The 21st Century/OCD/Midnight Rider/Straight Down The Line/Lay That Money Down/Tonight/I’m Not Your Slave/There’s No Time/Dead In Los Angeles/I Despair
CD 2 – Wild And Free/When The Cowards Fall/Fade Away/Bring On The Sunshine/I’m Not Your Slave/Lay That Money Down/Straight Down The Line/Tonight/You Gotta Wait/Wild And Free/Into The Blue/Dead In Los Angeles/I Wanna Be Your Dog
In November The Godfathers will perform for the first time their iconic ‘88 album ‘Birth School Work Death’ (in sequence, in its entirety) plus selections from their other classic albums at 3 UK gigs in Stockton-on-Tees, Manchester & London.
8/11 – Georgian Theatre/Stockton-on-Tees (with very special guests Johnny Seven)
Italian punks SMALLTOWN TIGERS prowl into the UK next month for a handful of dates.
This will be the Rimini lasses first trip over here since they were invited to open The Damned’s ’76 reunion shows last Autumn. Since then they’ve supported the current Damned line-up on a European tour as well as recording their first full-length debut album due for release in February through Area Pirata. It follows on from their 8-track mini-album Five Things, which came out in 2020.
Lace-up your big boy shit kickers you’re gonna need them. ‘Chaos Theory’ is up and running and in your face from the kickoff and amidst all this chaos you find a brightly produced punchy punk rock that’s aggressive yet tuneful and wraps its melodies in chain mail hidden under a velvet glove. Ross Sutcliffe’s vocals are right in your grill. No mucking about here it’s down-the-line street punk but like Argy Bargy and such bands the choruses are uplifting and the gang vocals are easy-sing-a-longs and no doubt a joy live. the riff after the chorus is a whopping Chug that sounds like they’re dragging an 18-wheel jugganaught with nothing more than a strand of dental floss.
The hard and heavy aggressive style continues into ‘Savage’ howling guitar solos and thunderous drum rolls. There’s a chink of light on ‘Drink Up Boys!’ like the jig is up with a sing-a-long chorus’. I do like the sharpness of the guitar tone on ‘Drop Too Much’ it’s sharp and big. It’s like granite cracking hard but the solos are fluid before you’re softened up for ‘Heathens’ crashes in. It’s unmistakably a UK punk sound I couldn’t imagine this coming out of the USA or Europe for example don’t ask me to explain why its just a feeling it gives me. Side one is wrapped up with the bass-thumping intro of ‘Hack The World’ that’s joined with more of that razor-sharp riffage. I really like the vocals doing a sort of shout-out and response style – possibly the stand-out track on the first side. It best you take a break, have a drink, go for a walk, then take in side two.
The title track opens side two and a stylish big chorus high tempo track it is too. Love the simple big riff and rock-solid rhythm section there isn’t much light and shade between the songs but that’s okay it helps raise the tension you need when getting to grips with street punk.
‘Standard Definition’ is a hard and heavy skank on the verse before raising the chorus and dropping the band into some skanking. ‘Kev’ is some Sham meets Oi! and done very well indeed. The LP closes with ‘Running Out Of Riot’ and some social commentary and if you’re thinking they’re gonna slow it down to close this banger off then you’re mistaken. It’s a rousing romp through familiar territory but it’s done well and therefore engaging just don’t take it out for your jogging soundtrack unless you’re called Bolt or forest gump. The Mistakes have delivered a really good album of loud, pleasing, punk rock – produced well and delivered with aggression and heart. It is indeed a good hill to die on if this is their swansong. Oh and that artwork is exceptional it is everything this album is in one painting.
“Velvet Revolver was born at a time when there just wasn’t much rock n’ roll happening out in the world. To the point, that it was even being bandied about here and there, that “rock n roll is dead!”. We thought otherwise.” Duff McKagan
Down the long and convoluted road of rock history, the term ‘supergroup’ has been used to describe collaborations put together by musicians already renowned for having established themselves with other popular bands. Many of these projects tend to be short lived and rarely capture the collective or individual greatness that these musicians achieved in prior bands. However, every so often, one of these so-called ‘supergroups’ actually delivers on the theoretical sum of its parts and writes, records, and performs music that stands up on its own merits and strengths and cements its place in the hearts and minds of rock fans across the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen, one such band was Velvet Revolver.
Having utterly dominated the early and mid 1990’s in Guns N Roses – one of the only truly bonafide bands to ever adopt the slogan of ‘biggest band in the world’ – founding members Slash and Duff McKagen found themselves somewhat adrift by the early 2000’s, both having long left behind the machine of Guns N Roses. Under fairly similar circumstances, another 1990’s Rock giant – Stone Temple Pilots – had publicly imploded as a result of their own internal politics. Despite all the drama and the cultural zeitgeist of the time not particularly calling out for such a group, Velvet Revolver formed, and perhaps in spite of such adversity delivered their stunning debut album ‘Contraband’ on June 8th 2004. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell over two million copies in the United States alone – a truly remarkable achievement by anyone’s standards and serves as a reminder of the undeniable quality of the songs and performances that make up the track listing. A second album ‘Libertad’ followed three years later after countless concerts around the globe, and even if it didn’t quite live up to the quality of its predecessor (frankly, few records could) – it still landed at number 5 on the Billboard top 200 and would be certified Gold in Canada and New Zealand.
History would ultimately repeat itself and the same forces that led to the bands inception would reappear to derail Velvet Revolver once and for all in 2008 – however photographer Ross Halfin was there every step of the way to capture the band in the good times and the bad, and this photo book represents the total journey of Velvet Revolver and serves as a timely reminder that sometimes, rare as it might be, ‘supergroups’ can be genuinely super. The new coffee table book from Rufus celebrates the short lived brilliance of Velvet Revolver in a single limited edition book of just 500 numbered copies worldwide with an introduction by Duff McKagan. Coming in at 340 high quality art pages, with a printed, foiled and embossed cover, a unique Carbon X slipcase plus a Ross Halfin signed print and poster this book is a unique visual documentary of the band.
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