The Mistakes ‘A Good Hill To Die On” – SUPERB NEW Video and Digital Single Taken from the forthcoming album to be released 2023 on Time & Matter Records –

Filmed on location at Knowlton Church, Dorset, December 2022. Filmed by Frank Smithland and Matthew Rayner. Stream and download at: https://hypeddit.com/u7mgts

Find much more at: https://www.themistakes.net

https://www.facebook.com/themistakesuk

https://twitter.com/themistakesuk

https://www.instagram.com/themistakes

https://themistakes.bandcamp.com/

South Wales noise merchants dish up a refined slimline seven smashers. South Wales is a hotbed of talent at the moment belching up bands left right and centre who are getting out there and delivering their tunes to audiences far and wide. Letting the music do their talking this three piece are hard at the coal face chiselling away their corner of the music scene. Working hard, playing shows refining your craft and dishing up the best songs you can muster is the MO and on this debut release it would appear to be paying dividends.

Kicking off with ‘Syls II’ with its jarring abrasive guitars not a million miles from Fugazi dragging Thrapy? along for the ride, it’s a rallying call where vocalist and guitar player Cameron McIntyre is barking his words into the void for anyone and everyone to hear.

‘Prince Plays At Funerals has one foot on the Idles monitor wedge whilst the other harks back to a time when Nirvana would push back boundaries in the mainstream making it possible for young men to fuck with our ears and people to enjoy that thumping bass that is cold angles poking away at your ears before driving into your head with the sharp guitars and drum assault because this is an assault – make no mistake. It’s not easy listening but once you dial in it’s pretty damn good stuff. The St Pierre Snake Invasion were and are dishing this stuff up across the border in Bristol and the popularity of Idles and their post-punk juggernaut have made post-punk and indy cross over a mainstream concern and the masses are now fair game. With old school alt-punk like Fugazi has to be an influence on the sound created here. It’s great to see and hear bands getting “it” and turning in great records that deserve to be heard far and wide.

The single ‘Swede’ is a great advert for whats coming. It’s not anew sound but boy is it a good one. But there is more going on here with some decent lyrics and great rhythms to go with the rage and passion on display. ‘Greenhouse’ being a great example of that chaos and roaring attitude making for a banging tune. ‘Cwffin Of Flowers’ has that dark melody that the Manics sailed close to when they were deep into the Holy Bible but not with this much rage to go with that darkness. That rumbling bass is excellent and it rings out loud and proud.

Signing off this excellent album is the slower, brooding ‘Malaise’ rising and chest beating before calming down and taking a breath. A fine collection of tunes on a fine platter of post-punk to rival its peers wherever they may be. Only Fools And Corpses by this time next year might not be millionaires but they’ll be out there in the dirt making music and taking names and dishing up some memorable performances on the strength of this very impressive debut offering – get on boys bach its a banger! Nothing vulgar about this Pissant.

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Author: Dom Daley

Not content with producing some of the best punk rock music in the world right now, Australia has now seemingly set its sights on taking over the hard rock world once more. With Airbourne finally discovering what the top of the mountain really looks like by headlining the Saturday night of this year’s Steelhouse Festival and the Van Halen influenced Deraps (their drummer is Australian) taking up an early slot at Stonedead its now Starcrazy who get a major PR push here in Blighty, and it really is time to sit up and listen to what these guys have to offer, because when it comes to all things Starcrazy it’s something very interesting indeed.

Citing Janes Addiction, Hanoi Rocks and Van Halen as their influences the four piece band formed in late 2019 in Sydney’s Inner West music scene and to date have the self-released ‘Played For Suckers’ EP on vinyl and CD under their (studded) belts. The six track follow up ‘Another Day Another Squalor’ is set to be released on March 10th (via the Bandcamp link below) taking the ““Retro glam with a hint of RUSH” influence that Alice Cooper (yup that Alice Cooper) identified in the band early doors and turning up the dial marked POWERPOP.

‘Galaxy O Luv’ complete with its Slade styled titling opens the EP in the style Da Coop had already picked up on with just the merest hint of ole black eyes himself creeping into the musical mid-section.  It’s when ‘The Big Time’ thunders in on a late ‘80s Rachel Bolan bassline and “devilish” (listen and you’ll get what I mean) backing vocals join in that I actually sit up and truly listen. It’s worth mentioning that the low budget promo video that accompanies this track is a creative joy to behold too. Although don’t watch it after a heavy night out.

Australia is of course renowned for its hard rock bands, but what happens when you merge the straight into the amps guitar sound of that scene with the spirit of the early 90s US alt-rock explosion? Well take a listen to ‘The Open Sea’ and all will soon be revealed. Oh, and go check out fellow Sydney band of yore The Screaming Tribesmen, whose t-shirt Starcrazy frontman Marcus Fraser is wearing in the song’s video. I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

It’s when we get to ‘Egging Me On’ and ‘Hysterical’ that the EP really excels though. The former a 1 minute 42 second barnstormer that actually has a lot of synergies with the UK’s Mother Vulture, and then there’s the latter, this is when the (bad) penny drops in my musical memory banks and I’m screaming “this sounds like Celebrity Skin (the cult US band not the song)” at the stereo. Anyone who’s ever heard their one and only album ‘Good Clean Fun’ will hopefully now be clicking on the video link below…because this tune really is good clean fun written very much in the spirit of 70s Bowie (albeit it’s not a shameless steal like Gyasi).

‘Monday Morning (Prayer For Tony)’ which brings the EP to a close doffs its cap to early Guns N’ Roses with some Slash-like six string action courtesy of the wonderfully monikered Odin Wolf, and let’s not forget the Jack action rhythm section of bassist Jack Barratt and drummer Jack Farmer who also put in a HUGE shift across the whole EP.

Starcrazy produce hard rock music of the highest quality and thankfully being from Australia they aren’t influenced in the slightest by the sterile arena rock that we’ve been spoon here in the UK this past 5 years or so.  Finally I can get excited about a new hard rock band, and (the aforementioned Mother Vulture aside) that’s something I haven’t been able to say in quite some time. Joyous stuff!

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Author: Johnny Hayward

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE:

The Hip Priests. Zero fucks n’ less success since 2006. The most prolific band you haven’t heard of. High energy sweaty sermons of misanthropy, disillusion (self) loathing and despair. Get ready to have your ears torn clean off.

After 16 years some bands would be taking it easy but in spite of a global pandemic, there was no let-up in The Hip Priests determination and activity. Their fifth, and by far their best full-length album – ‘Roden House Blues’ – was written, rehearsed, and recorded during this period and will be released May 5th, 2023, via The Sign Records.

Rehearsed, recorded and mixed between the numerous U.K lockdowns in Roden House, one of Nottingham’s former lace factories where the Priests have their own space, and which spawned the album title. This is no Mississippi Blues but perhaps it makes more sense than you think: Howling laments, loss, self-reflection and revelation – alongside some recurring Priests lyrical themes: negativity, nihilism, rage and revolution. After 2019’s ‘Stand for Nothing’ the band were unsure whether they’d do another album – However, global lockdown inadvertently led to a renewed passion and realisation that, like Jagger said, ‘’what can a poor boy do’ – especially when feeling more lost in a world that increasingly resembles a dumpster fire. A few dozen demos were scrutinised of which, through a stricter than ever group consensus, 14 were recorded but then honed down, razor sharp, into the tightest collection of 11 low-fat, lean and mean banging tunes that could fit into 30 minutes.

This week we get to feel another white-hot blast straight from the album’s furnace in new single ‘Just To Get By’, which finds the band in rare reflective form.

“Every day can be a struggle and happiness really is an inside job. None of us are perfect. Every day we’re pitted against each other and ourselves by a world that increasingly looks like a dumpster fire that wants to incinerate us. What can we do to just get by?

Perhaps just trying to improve, rise above and be a better person is an act of revenge nowadays. A number one single in an alternate universe with a guitar riff of such hook and beauty it was surely dropped from the Rock heavens.  

We don’t JUST do Nihilism, Negativity, Rage and Revolution you know…”

This month also sees The Hip Priests team up with Northern Ireland’s The Dangerfields for an Irish tour. Having known each other for years and toured together back in 2010, when the bands paths crossed again last year, the idea of finally sorting that long talked about Irish tour was set in stone. And so The Hip Priests first time in Ireland kicks off in Derry on Weds 22nd March followed by four other shows all across the country.


Come along for an evening (or in Dublin’s case, afternoon) of face-ripping, ball-crushing, ass-immolating rock ‘n’ roll played by a bunch of doozies far too old to know any better!
There will be loud guitars and rock poses, bad words and everything!

‘Roden House Blues’ is released May 5th via The Sign Records and available to pre-order HERE:

FIND THE HIP PRIESTS ONLINE AT:

WEBSITE /FACEBOOK / BANDCAMP / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM

CATCH THE HIP PRIESTS LIVE AT THE FOLLOWING DATES:

March

Ireland (With The Dangerfields)

Wednesday 22nd Bennigans, Derry

Thursday 23rd Cellar Bar, Galway

Friday 24th Fred Zeppelin’s, Cork

Saturday 25th Hop House, Bangor

Sunday 26th Wild Duck, Dublin

April

Germany (With Lucifer Star Machine)

Thursday 27th Sonic Ballroom, Cologne

Friday 28th Freakshow, Essen

Saturday 29th Zollkantine, Bremen

Sunday 30th Indra Musikclub, Hamburg

May

UK (With Bitch Queens)

Thursday 25th The Pipeline, Brighton

Friday 26th Hope And Anchor, London

Saturday 27th Nice And Sleazy, Morecambe

Sunday 28th Old Angel, Notts

June

UK (With Zeke)

Tuesday 20th Exchange, Bristol

Wednesday 21st Parish, Huddersfield

Thursday 22nd New Cross Inn, London

September

UK

Thursday 28th Trillians, Newcastle

Friday 29th Bannermans, Edinburgh

Saturday 30th Waterloo, Blackpool

UK IN-STORE DATES REVEALED FOR MAY 2023

TICKETS – HERE

PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE – HERE

Northern Irish rock outfit, THERAPY? announce their colossal new studio album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, a spiralling, hypnotic melange of grunge-rock and towering melody that sees the trio steadfast and reinvigorated. ‘Hard Cold Fire’ is set for release 5th May 2023 via Marshall Records.

Accompanying the announcement, the band also shares their first offering in the form the riotous new single ‘Joy,’ and details on a run of intimate UK in-store dates coinciding with the album’s release. Fans can find more information for in-store tickets HERE, pre-order limited edition bundles of ‘Hard Cold Fire’ and pre-save HERE.

Resilience and survival have become vital watchwords for Therapy?. Enduring over three decades as the musical, cultural and social landscapes have shifted around them, the trio have forged and retained a powerful and lasting connection with a dedicated fan base around the world, doing so by putting their emphasis on the music, solidifying a hard-won reputation as forward-thinking writers and a fierce live proposition in the process.

As Therapy?’s fourth decade finally gets underway in earnest, sixteenth album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, written and pre-produced during an unprecedented time for music, is hefty, compact, and accessible, a distillation of everything that has made them what they are – hewn from County Antrim basalt, still possessed of their stoicism, but casting a renewed focus on catharsis and healing.

“One thing we did decide when we were eventually able to rehearse, was that we didn’t want to make a lockdown record,” says vocalist and guitarist Andy Cairns,“because people have been through enough.

“When we began to rehearse the songs, we realised there was an empathetic quality to them. We wanted to make something that was a bit more relatable, and less standoffish and claustrophobic – which we have a history of, and it stands in places – but we wanted to make something more approachable and open.”

“We wanted this album to be one that felt good to play live, almost a release after this period of stasis, but then also not dwelling on the whole situation – we’re moving forward, and we wanted that energy to be there,” adds bassist Michael McKeegan.

The serrated, chugging riffage, churning low-end and propulsive rhythms that are hallmarks of the band’s sound are all present and correct, but met with a new-found sense of resolution and release, as most readily displayed on the one-two punch of their first single, ‘Joy’.

“Well, ‘Joy’ started with a term from ‘Waiting for Godot’, by Samuel Beckett,” confesses Cairns“this wonderful line: ‘habit is a great deadener’. I just love that word, ‘dead-en-er’. It’s an amazing word. People get themselves into these habits, and the next thing you know, their life is over and they’ve only lived in a very small circle of experience, often through choice, which is scary.”

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“Try something, try something different.” So sings Tom McFaull lead singer of the Bar Stool Preachers during the intro to ‘Going Forward’ the final track on the band’s all-new album, ‘Above The Static’, and its almost like he’s breaking the musical fourth wall in doing so, because this the band’s third studio record (and first for new record label Pure Noise Records) is exactly that, different, in fact, it’s very different indeed.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. It’s been five (yup FIVE) years since the band released their sophomore record ‘Grazie Governo’ and began leaping rungs on the ladder of musical infamy as they started to climb their way to headliner status, building on the bedrock of their excellent 2016 debut ‘Blatant Propaganda’ they were seemingly willing to play anywhere and everywhere and in the process where developing a global fanbase/community quite like no other I’d witnessed for such a still (relatively) young band. It was in late 2019 that the band took me into their confidence and let me hear the demos for their soon-to-be-recorded third album, the intention for me (having been a follower of the band ever since the frontman told me all about the concept of his soon to be formed band outside a boozer one rainy night in Amsterdam back in 2014!!!!) to give some hopefully constructive feedback on the 22 songs they had written up to that point.

All I have left from that online listening party is my fast scribbled note on each track and some distant memories of what might have been, because just around the corner was of course a global pandemic the likes of which we hope will never see again, and something that along the way whilst potentially changing the shape of the music industry forever also cost The Bar Stool Preachers their (at the time) yet to be signed major record deal that was to be home for that all-new record.

A couple of those tracks did get released during the pandemic via the ‘Soundtrack To Your Apocalypse’ charity 12” picture disc (with all profits going to the NHS here in the UK), but the rest were seemingly lost forever.

That is until the band decided in April 2021 to get together with producer Ben Hannah, the guys setting up camp at The Waterloo (which was still closed at the time due to Covid restrictions) a three-story pub/venue in Blackpool, to begin the process of reshaping some of those songs for what would be the making of their third album, one they might even have to self-release. However, when they listened to ‘Flatlined’ (which was originally called ‘Heart Attack’ Preacher trivia fans), the first song they committed to tape there, it dawned on them that it sounded like the finished product, so why not just go for bloody broke.

Here, finally getting my chance to sit down and absorb the dozen tracks that the band decided to include on what would become known as ‘Above The Static’ what strikes me from the off is just how much of a leap sonically the now seven piece (frontman McFaull along with mainstays bassist Bungle, keyboardist Alex Hay and guitarist Gibbs, plus drummer Alex ‘Whibbs’ Whibley-Conway are now joined by Jaya The Cat guitarist Karl Smith and most recently Ray Waters on third guitar) have made since I initially heard those original demos.  This record contains all the excitement of a Wembley cup final and thanks to the stellar tunes none of the disappointment of seeing your team lose, although in saying that one set of fans might still be in for a bit of a penalty shoot-out kind of a shock to the system when they get to hear it. That’s because the ska-punk foundation over which the band have traditionally written their tunes, this time around is very much in the background. That’s not to say it’s not there, in fact, it’s very much to the fore on already live favourite ‘Don’t Die Today’ and underpins the skanking verses of ‘All Turned Blue’ before that tune sends its heavenly chorus off into the night sky. It’s just that this time around the Preacher’s influence gene pool has extended much wider than on their previous two records, like the name drop of The Streets during the mid-song spoken word/rapped segment of ‘Flatlined’ or the doo-wop introduction to the awesome ‘Love To Love’. Things I certainly didn’t recall hearing on the demos for these songs.  

Recent single ‘Doorstep’ (complete with its surreal video) is perhaps the yardstick by which I will always measure ‘Above The Static’. I’ll admit that on first hearing this song I wasn’t that overly impressed, and I longed for another “knees up” tune from my old mates from down Brighton-way, but in the context of the whole record it’s a glorious 2 minute 36-second singalong, albeit one for the next generation of music lovers, and if I can get excited about Kid Kapichi then the Bar Stool Preachers adding a touch of big production to their sound is all good in my book. Something that can also be said about the more overly rapped main vocal behind the state of the nation address that is ‘Never Gonna Happen’. We need bands as angry as this in our lives right now we really do.

Elsewhere, there’s the almost Cock Sparrer-esque ‘Laptop’  (I mean c’mon that’s always going to be possible isn’t it given who Tom’s father is) which builds on the likes of ‘Raced Through Berlin’ and ‘8.6 Days (All The Broken Hearts)’ from its predecessor, whilst ‘Prince Of Nothing’ and ‘Two Dog Night’ sit much more in the ‘Doorstep’ camp, both songs thundering along on huge singalong choruses with a brutal metallic edge to the guitars. Something that is certainly a world away from the band’s early material, just like the tender piano ballad that is ‘Lighthouse Keeper’ (this track certainly never sounded like this at demo stage) and the track that started this review, the epic album closer ‘Going Forward’. This track, from its gentle acoustic introduction through to its sublime chorus, complete with an almost Bacharach like key change that will melt even the hardest of heart is absolute genius, and indeed the sound of a band going somewhere very important indeed.

The Preachers have hit paydirt with ‘Above The Static’, it’s a magnificent celebration of British songwriting at its absolute best, now it’s over to you to go buy your copy when the album is released on 31st March 2023 (presale links are below folks) and make this record the HUGE hit it deserves to be. Plus get your musical family together and go see the band on their extensive UK tour when it kicks off in Bristol on April 19th. You’ll probably know most of the album off by heart by then too, because it’s simply one of the most exceptional records you’ll hear in 2023.

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Author: Johnny Hayward

The band will be doing a headline tour around the UK to celebrate the release of the album. Full dates below and tickets on sale now – HERE

See The Bar Stool Preachers at the following dates:
 9th April – The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool
19th April – Lost Horizon Arts Centre & Bar, Bristol
20th April – The Castle & Falcon, Birmingham
21st April – Corporation, Sheffield
26th April – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
27th April – Waterfront Studio, Norwich
28th April – The Engine Shed, Lincoln
29th April – Green Door Store, Brighton
30th April – Underworld, London
3rd May – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
5th May – Bannerman’s, Edinburgh
6th May – Riverside Newcastle, Newcastle

Following on from their 2018 release ‘We The Collective’, The Levellers have again teamed up with Hannah Miller and Ollie Austin from The Moulettes to reimagine songs from their 35-year career in a more stripped back, acoustic way.

Since that celebrated album, the ever-busy Brighton band have released a studio album (Peace), a live in the studio lockdown album (The Lockdown Sessions) and kept the band on the road with a string of live dates, festival appearances, as well as curating their own ‘Beautiful Days’ festival.

The band are currently taking the show on the road with an 18 date UK tour showcasing these new versions as well as more classics from their discography. This album also features the first official recordings of new member Dan Donelly on guitar.

Recorded live at the Levellers own Metway Studio in Brighton, and captured beautifully by producer Sean Lakeman, ‘Together All The Way’ takes a more folky approach to some classic Levellers favourites, adds their recent single ‘Down By The River ‘O’’, written by longtime collaborator Rev Hammer, and adds two brand new songs titled ‘Man O War’ and ‘Sitting In The Social’.

Anyone who has seen a Levellers acoustic show can testify that their foot-stomping, festival friendly anthems transfer well into laid back, acoustic goodness, and this album captures that vibe perfectly.

Opener ‘The Game’, from their classic ‘Levelling The Land’ album, is probably the most distinctive in terms of approach. A deconstructed version that couldn’t be further from the anthemic live favourite. Where the original relied on an urgency created by frantic fiddles, rock guitars and a rousing chorus that came on like a call to arms, this version creates a different atmosphere altogether, relying more on chilled beats, strings and melody. The fiddles are still there, understated, and more as an accompaniment to Mark Chadwick’s ever-powerful voice, the haunting backing vocals adding dramatic effect.

Next, the upbeat ‘Down By The River ‘O’’ is more in tune with classic Levellers and very similar to their take on ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’. A foot-stomping, fiddle frenzy ensues with a glorious melody guaranteed to make you swing your pint of cider as you sing-along. This captures the live feel of a Levellers show perfectly.

‘The Cholera Well’ is taken right down to almost a dub version, the instruments stripped right back yet Chadwick’s fiery vocals still maintain the passion and fire that is prevalent in the original.

The title track ‘Together All The Way’ doesn’t stray too far from the path, but the acoustic guitars, pumping bass line and that glorious fiddle refrain make this classic Levellers song sound…classic again. Even the absence of that cool harmonica riff isn’t really missed.

‘Wake The World’ and ‘Wheels’ both come from that period when the band lost their way a bit in the early 2000’s and both benefit from the new arrangements, but I wouldn’t call either of them highlights.

With Chadwick’s vocals replacing Simon Friend’s gruff delivery and stabbing strings replacing his dampened guitar riff, ‘Battle Of The Beanfield’ could not sound any different. But with mournful cello and fiddle sweeps, it still has that urgency and still carries the same stark message from all those years ago. This is an album highlight.

The two new songs sandwich a sweet reworking of the classic ‘Sell Out’. The reflective ‘Man O War’ with its beautiful vocal harmonies, Blackbird-like picked acoustic guitars and Celtic vibes, is a song you could say is stereotypical of a band in the twilight years of their career, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

The same goes for album closer and fellow newbie ‘Sitting In The Social’. A powerful, rousing tune very similar in feel to ‘Subvert’ with tribal beats, handclaps and gang vocal harmonies. The stripped-back approach works well with this new song and the dramatic delivery makes it a killer closer for the album. Tenpole Tudor and Dexy’s are not two names I ever thought of referencing in respect to The Levellers but, there you go, I said it.

There is a good ebb and flow to this album. Breathing new life into old tunes and mixing up new ideas that show, while they may well have mellowed with age, they can still knock out a protest song or two and let’s face it, the Levellers social commentary is as relevant today as it was back during the 90’s.

A perfect companion to ‘We The Collective’ and a testament to the fact that whatever the production and arrangement, the Levellers have a fine set of tunes in their arsenal.

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Author: Ben Hughes

Sacre farkin’ bleu, Brother and sisters, What a glorious album cover this is. Certainly grabbed my attention and made me want to investigate further. Cum Together? tell me more… RIGHT NOW! Bordeaux, France’s HEARTBEEPS have emerged from the ashes of TV KILLERS (Estrus Records / Dead Beat Records), for a punked-up orgy of noise with current and ex-members of Swindlers, Wild Zeros and Holeshots, and this their debut “Cum Together” LP is a fuckin’ hoot, 100 mph of joyful, reckless punk rock. Like a whirlwind of clashing guitars, and drums. It’s frantic garage-based punk rock n roll. Straight out of the bag marked The Saints, Pagans, DMZ, MC5, Radio Birdman, Dead Moon and more than a dash of Cavemen and of course those early Damned records.

From the opening few bars, you get the impression that Heartbeeps are here for a good time not a long time and with their amps dialled in to 11 there isn’t time to fuck about its crash bang wallop and hey ho let’s go!

It’s the kind of music that got Elvis and Jerry Lee into trouble back in the day. Hip-shaking sweaty rock n roll and from the lead track ‘Criminals’ you know just what’s going down. ‘Sick In Your Head’ is a runaway train heading for the buffers but who ever cared about that? Guitars being rinsed for all they’re worth and you can feel the exhaustion from the drummer’s snare as it rings out. Great opener and a signal of intent.

That’s pretty much the MO of ‘Cum Together’ it’s a rush of blood to the head crash, Bang Wallop! To be fair the minute I saw that artwork I knew I had to hear what was committed to wax because those faces tell a thousand stories and all of them great. ‘Aint No Crime’ is a more measured, slower beast but with a cool riff and a solo that could cut through steel. Hold still kids because you should buckle up for we’re off again running red lights with ‘Nightmare’ and thats wiped out with the grooving ‘Never Stop’ that had me thinking of Garage Rock royalty – Gunfire Dance, from the hip-shaking tambourine through the howling good time vocals this is top notch.

There is the belligerent and snotty ‘I Don’t Care’ but you could pick out any of the songs for praise because this is an absolute Banger of a record from start to finish. ‘Sake Blast’ rings out the chords in true Brian James style before signing the record off with the wonderfully titled ‘Trust No One And Fuck Everybody’, drop the mic and burn the studio to the ground it’s only fair right?

Heartbeeps have smashed out a rip-snorting Garage Punk and Roll Banger and shame on you if you don’t let this light up your life. Ok, Turn it up and let’s take it from the top one more time 1-2-3-4 Go!

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Author: Dom Daley

Punk Rock at the Offie part ii. Oh what a night Russ Abbott sang but he couldn’t possibly have had The St Davids Showdown at Afan Ales & Fine Wines could he? By eleven O’Clock it might have resembled one of Russ’ parties – bodies everywhere inside and out. soaking wet bodies with beaming smiles and bear hugs. This was DIY punk rock at its finest, most primal and the kids were having a ball.

Heavy Groovers Harbour Way got proceedings off to a flier with their Helmet heavy style riff-a-drama. Warming up the audience is no mean feat on nights like this just relax sit back and let go. Sadly for them, the sound was like a hangover from the 80s Russ Abbotts madhouse – all snare drum and no vocals, lost in a wall of noise and feedback. It was tough to distinguish what was what, other than a barking groove – mixed with howling feedback that was threatening these boys’ efforts to kick out the jams. If you want to know what they played then good luck because by the end it they were sweaty, breathless and out of tune. I imagine none of the band could hear what the other was doing or playing and were running on memory which was a pity but nobody seemed detered or put off – things were just warming up.

By the time Only Fools And Corpses took to the floor people were indeed loosening up and the band jumped right in with their short, but sweet set of Hardcore, alternative, and post-punk. Mixing the likes of Idles with old-school Fugazi and Therapy? & a whole lot in between. They dished up songs off their, soon-to-be-released album, ‘Pissant’ and clicked into the vibe of what was happening around them. They used the energy that resulted in them going down a storm. The sound was a little better but still, the vocal was just about audible now either that or the Cider was taking effect and I wasn’t noticing anymore. This south Wales three-piece were coping well trying to tame the savage beast that was the PA but the overall feeling was incredible. I look forward to hearing more from these gents, They did well loosening up the already baying throng of drunken loons.

There is a growing local scene happening in South Wales where the kids are starting bands and playing at every available venue and it’s good to see. To be fair Afan Ales is a fuckin off license. Little more than a shop on a high street that’s crammed to bursting with people jostling for position in what was now a swirling pit of bodies loving life and loving some noisy punk rock.

To top off this evening, The Shunkos got down to business, again, frontman Mal was struggling to cut through with his vocals but he didn’t care in his St Davids Day costume of tight head prop he tried his best to compare and lead the avalanche of noise from the band who to be fair are getting tighter and more tuned in with each show it didn’t matter because this was what local punk rock should sound and look like – no poseurs, no dick swinging, no my bands better than yours it was all for one and one for all and everyone up for a good time.

With this being their home turf it was This St Davids’s Day Massacre that set the hills alive with the sound of The Shunkos. Bodies & Beer everywhere, it was a short but sweet set that had the band beating out their best performance of their short-lived lives, ‘Meal Deal’, ‘Chippy Tea’ the thunderous ‘Uni Mate’ and some of their other recorded tunes being punched out and ending with the anthemic ‘Beer & Gear’, they came they saw, they conquered.

Dare I suggest, next time they come back for the hattrick of Rock at the offie performances they get a PA big enough to cope with the power they want to push out – the PA they bloodywell deserved. Tonight the good people of Port Talbot wanted to hear Harbour Way, Only Fools & Corpses and The Shunkos who ultimatly delivered the goods The real deal or the meal deal you decide bacause this time next year boyos we could all be millionaires.

Top night out everything you want in a DIY punk Show. Cheap Beer, Great music, Great venue, and Great happy people. result!

Punk Rock is alive and kicking and I can’t wait for ‘Punk at the Offie III’ it has to happen – Bosh! ave’ it!

Author: Dom Daley

Shunkos

Only Fools & Corpses

Harbour Way

As a young rocker Sam Hariss (The Sweet Things) heard Izzy Stradlin doing “Crackin’ Up” and it stuck with him like an earworm.  He later discovered Izzy himself was doing a cover of “Crackin’ Up” by Bo Diddley (1959).  So he decided to get together with Tobin Dale (The Sweet Things), head into the studio and do their own version.  To round out the song, they enlisted an army of stars to play on their nod to Bo Diddley.

Appearances including
Taime Down (Faster Pussycat)
Danny Nordahl (Faster Pussycat, Motochrist, The Throbs)
Ricky Vodka (Motochrist)
Joey Huffman (Georgia Satellites, Drivin’N’Cryin, Soul Asylum)
Charlie Paxson (has recorded with James Blunt, Ricky Lee Jones and many more)

Spotify Link