The Damned – ‘Not Like Everybody Else’ (Ear Music)

The Damned – ‘Not Like Everybody Else’ (Ear Music)

Like ’em or loath them, one thing is for sure: the title is spot on. The Damned have been a constant pretty much throughout my music listening life, and as they reach the twilight of a glittering career, they’ve lost another of their own, and this one hurt big time. Brian James shaped my youth from The Damned through The Lords and his solo output right through the first reunion dates that ended in tears to the triumphant second coming and a much more harmonious band that seemed to have reached some semblance of maturity and adulthood (god forbid) and returned to the stage as the original four piece whilst they still had time and nailed a series of shows that had the fire and fury of the early years as well as a much older and wiser beast they did it and came out far better and bigger than they went into it. Sadly, that was the last time they would play as a four-piece as Brian passed away last year, which motivated the remaining three, plus the long-time Paul Gray to turn in a set of covers that Brian was inspired by to put together The Damned as we knew it.

With Rat back in the seat for the last couple of years its wonderful to see and hear the Damned from The Black Album and Strawberries knock it out of the park time after time and show the youth exactly how it’s done. Forward we move to the here and now, and this here tribute to the tunes of their youth that inspired Mr Brian James and a mixed bag it is. Sure, you’ll have your stalwarts and gatekeepers protesting and professing to not touching this with a barge pole, but The Damned have form for this with the awesome ‘Give Daddy The Knife Cindy,’ which was a pretty awesome covers album, albeit without the name The Damned. Fast forward a few decades, and we’re here paying respects to Brian in a way he’d appreciate. Ten tracks from various continents, there are the ones we would all have guessed, which are done to perfection for one reason or another, like ‘Gimme Danger’, but it’s tracks like the title track that suit Vanian’s vocals, and he manages to hit the notes to perfection, serving up a rousing rendition.

Rats drumming is so recognisable, and his long hiatuses from the fold missed his swagger and formidable rolls, even Monty’s keyboard wheeze on songs like ‘Heart Full Of Soul’ nails it. The big takeaway I got from this record is how bloody good Paul Grey is and how he plays the songs for what they are, driving the tunes like a finely tuned Rolls-Royce. Of course, I love Captain’s off-the-cuff style where he sounds like he’s winging it (which he’s not, of course, but it’s always added excitement), just take ‘You Must Be A Witch’ which had me raising an eyebrow to mr Vanians high notes (well done, sir).

Of course, there are a few lulls here and there, but let’s not get carried away here. This is The Damned paying their respects to Brian James and playing the guts out of some left of centre (at times) songs, of course it’s not ‘Neat Neat Neat’ or ‘New Rose’, but for some unearthly inexplicable reason this is what got us those songs. The inclusion of ‘last Time’ gives me goose bumps, and like Captain says Without Brian, etc., etc..

The message on the inner sleeve is heartfelt and touching – long live Brian James and long live The Damned, the greatest band to ever walk the planet bar none. Another case of hit and miss, but I’ll take it because they’re not like anyone else and the likes of which we’ll never see again.

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Author: Dom Daley

The Godfathers – Double A Side and tour dates

The Godfathers – Double A Side and tour dates

The Godfathers kickstart 2026 with a brand new double A-side single. The release – featuring the band’s first new music since 2022’s acclaimed Alpha Beta Gamma Delta album – comes ahead of a previously announced trio of UK dates

Set for release on 6th February, vinyl and digital versions of the new single will comprise the tracks ‘Going Wrong’ and ‘Lesbian Café’, the latter number featuring guest contributions from Devo’s Josh Hager on guitar and synthesiser.

There will also be a 4-track CD EP release, which includes the single tracks plus a special remix of ‘Lesbian Café’ by Hager and an alternate acoustic version of ‘Going Wrong’.

The single is the first taste from a highly anticipated brand new album from the band, expected in early 2027. Godfathers’ front man and founder member Peter Coyne has described both new songs as “truly exciting rock & roll social commentary and another sonic leap forward for the group.”

Coyne has cited ‘Lesbian Café’ as a genuine tribute to his LGBTQ heroes, influenced in part by his visits to the legendary Club Louise in London in early ’77, which he’s said provided “a non-judgmental home from home for many people on the punk scene in the ‘70’s.”

The vinyl single and CD EP are both available to pre-order now exclusively from Here.

All four tracks will also be available to download from all the usual online digital platforms.

As previously announced, The Godfathers play three UK gigs in February – Edinburgh, Leeds and their traditional Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre concert at the iconic 100 Club in London…

11 Feb -EDINBURGH – Voodoo Rooms Tickets

12 Feb -LEEDS – Brudenell Social Club Tickets

13 Feb -LONDON – 100 Club Tickets

Tickets for all three concerts are available NOW!!

Megadeth – ‘Megadeth’ (BLKIIBLK)

Megadeth – ‘Megadeth’ (BLKIIBLK)

We all know the Metallica story… I’m not going to talk about that, well, maybe later. Megadeth has been a constant in the heavy metal story since back in 1983, when Dave Mustaine swore that he would put together a band faster and heavier than that other band that I said I wasn’t going to talk about.

Since then, there have been many lineup changes and some history-making music. The one constant is, of course, “MegaDave” himself. The controversial guitarist/vocalist/lead songwriter has made sure that every single heavy metal fan in the world owns at least one Megadeth album in their collection. This has been achieved by hard work, phenomenal talent and of course, Dave’s unwillingness to fail.

My first run-in with Megadeth was courtesy of a Kerrang! Compilation VHS with the video to the song Peace Sells. I loved it and got a friend to copy the album onto a C90 cassette for me. The power, the musicianship, and the snarl all made sure this teenage thrasher was hooked (in mouth?) Of course, the “classic” lineup of Megadeth came a few years later with the 1990 Rust In Peace album. This is when the world really saw Mustaine’s vision in full. I saw the band live for the first time on this tour with a little-known band called Alice in Chains opening. The fury of their live shows became legendary; they never disappoint in a live setting.

Megadeth became global superstars after the success of the 1992 release ‘Countdown to Extinction’, but this was the start of the band’s decline. Some ill-fated direction changes on the 1999 album Risk and the collapse of the “classic” line-up before that saw Megadeth’s popularity dip. This isn’t to say that the band weren’t out there making new records or playing live, they just never got another Countdown moment.

This latest LP, simply titled ‘Megadeth’, is set to be their last ever album. Mustaine has had health struggles over the last few years and has decided to hang up his guitar for good. 2022’s ‘The Sick, the Dying…and the Dead’ was a great album, and this follows on in a similar vein. Latest guitar wizard Teemu Mantysaari has a strong presence with songwriting credits on nine of the ten tracks. Drummer Dirk Verbeuren feels like he’s been around forever, and his contribution is a noticeable one. Bass player James LoMenzo still feels like a hired gu,n though, he plays a blinder here, as you’d expect.

The album opens strongly with the lead single ‘Tipping Point’. Virtuoso guitar work, machine gun double kick drums and Mustaine’s trademark love it or hate vocal style are all over the song. A brilliant opener. The production is great, too, from Mustaine and Chris Rakestraw. ‘I Don’t Care’ is a bit more throwaway, although some fun lyrics rescue the track. ‘Hey God?!’ Is a mid-paced chugger, which is a real grower. ‘Let There Be Shred’ does what it says on the tin, a real showcase of Mustaine and Mantysaari’s incredible prowess. Puppet Parade reminds me of the Youthanasia era. Another strong track. Another Bad Day chugs along nicely with lyrics that all of us can relate to. ‘Made to Kill’ kicks off with a superb drum intro before we are off into very familiar Megadeth territory, stabbing riffs, answering kick drums, and guitar solos aplenty make this one of the strongest tracks on the album. ‘Obey the Call’ has a great crunching riff. Mustaine’s vocals are more melodic here, another solid tune. ‘I Am War’ has a nice sing-along chorus which sticks in your head almost instantly.

The Last Note gives us Megadeth fans the final nod from our illustrious leader. The lyrics are actually quite moving: “I can’t outrun the spinning hands of time” and “the guitar got heavy, time to lay it down” gave me a lump in my throat. Is this really the end of the road for Megadeth? It seems to be true. We can never be sure, though, how many comebacks have Kiss, Motley Crue and even fellow Big 4 thrashers Slayer have had? I get the feeling that Mustaine is genuine in his sentiment. Rest easy, Megadeth, we salute you. Megadeth is no game-changer but it’s a good way to bow out.

I wasn’t going to mention the cover of Metallica’s ‘Ride the Lightning’. I get that Mustaine says that it’s “full circle” for him, and he wanted to put a Metallica track (that he co-wrote) on the album. It seems like a pointless exercise to me. Mustaine has nothing to prove, he’s a metal legend, and there really was no need to add this. I mean, it’s ok, Mustaine’s vocals don’t sound great, musically it’s obviously played well, but I just can’t help but feel that it blights the album rather than adding anything. My advice is, don’t bother listening to it, just end the album with ‘The Last Note’.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

The Empty Page – New Single ‘Death On Our Side’

The Empty Page – New Single ‘Death On Our Side’

Manchester band The Empty Page (Kel – vox/bass, Giz – guitar, Steve – drums) has never shied away from difficult subjects. Writing on themes as diverse as climate-destroying billionaires, panic attacks, bed rot, nightclub nostalgia, victim blaming, and house cats. 

New single ‘Death On Our Side’ is no different, lamenting the woes of a generation of people with no pension plan other than to die before they need to rely on one. 

Following ‘When We Gonna Run?’, released in November 2025, just 18 months after the band’s second album, ‘Imploding’, the new single continues to seamlessly meld punk and shoegaze. It’s gritty and Mancunian, and at the same time a fragile commentary on the realities of life in modern Britain.

“In fields where strange static crackles / you and I climb the pylons

Small lives are plundered / and underfunded

But we got death on our side“

This is the second in a series of single releases recorded at Nave Studios, a former church in deepest Leeds, with producer Matt Peel (Eagulls/Dream Wife/Bodega). “We’ve long been fans of Matt’s work, so it was great to work together finally. The studio is so cool, and Matt’s references from Radiohead to Smashing Pumpkins align perfectly with the songs we’ve been writing”, says Kel.

The artwork is the second in a series featuring older fans of the band in their teenage years. Inspired by the DIY punk 7-inches of a pre-Internet world. The images feel both nostalgic and current.

Death On Our Side – out Wednesday 21 January 2026

Catch The Empty Page live on the following dates:

Thurs 22 Jan – Manchester – Gorilla – supporting Marky Ramone

Sat 31 Jan – Leeds – Handfest – Brudenell [SOLD OUT]

Sat 7 March Brighton – Prince Albert – supporting Shallow Honey

Sat 14 March Manchester – Louder Than War Live Fest – Mcr Academy

Sat/Sun 2-3 May – Shropshire – Loopfest

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Brian James – ‘Kicks And Diabolik Licks’- pre order

Brian James – ‘Kicks And Diabolik Licks’- pre order

Release date 20 February 2026 – The Final album from a punk original!

This coming February sees the release of the final studio album by legendary The Damned founder Brian James, coming at the start of the band’s 50th Anniversary year and fortynine years to the week since the release of their classic debut album Damned Damned Damned.

Brian sadly passed away on 6 March 2025, a tragic event marked by an outpouring of love from across the punk and rock spectrum, from musicians, critics, fans and others; many of them having been on the receiving end of an electrifying epiphany, the first time they heard the needle click into the groove of ‘New Rose’ all those decades before.

In recent years, Brian had had his battles with illness, but remained active, taking to the stage in Autumn 2022 for a highly successful reunion tour with his Damned colleagues Messrs Sensible, Vanian and Scabies, followed by a performance with a reformed Lords Of The New Church, fronted by Michael Monroe in place of the departed Stiv Bators for the 2023 Vive Le Rock awards. Then he stepped up for two nights at London’s 100 Club in celebration of Lenny Kaye’s famous Nuggets compilation.

Throughout this period, Brian was putting together Kicks And Diabolik Licks. Inspired by his love of Italian culture, the album takes its title from Angela and Luciana Giussani’s popular comic character ‘Diabolik’. Several tracks, meanwhile, take inspiration from the Italian ‘Giallo’ movie genre; best exemplified in the works of directors Dario Argento and Mario Bava, the genre stems from the yellow-jacketed pulp crime novels common in Italy and denotes a trend in violent noir-style films, popular in the 60s/70s Italy and generally seen as a precursor to the 80s slasher genre. It also inspires the record’s vivid yellow sleeve art, by Brian’s longtime friend and noted film poster designer Graham Humprhreys, also responsible for the first two Lords album sleeves. The transposition of cinematic ideas to audio also gave Brian confidence to draw inspiration from his love of the more experimental jazz artists such as Coltrane, Mingus, Coleman and Derek Bailey – an influence only rarely glimpsed in Brian’s work, and never to such striking effect.

For the sessions, Brian was surrounded by friends, including longtime bassist and engineer Austen Gayton and drummers Malcolm Mortimore, Dave ‘Caveman’ O’Brien and Steve Murray, while Dirty Strangers frontman Alan Clayton sings backing vocals and ex-Mo-Dettes singer Ramona Wilkins Carlier takes the lead on a very different version of the Lords’ hit ‘Dance With Me’.

Let it suffice to say, in Brian’s immortal words, “You want some action, then… yeah?”


Pre-order –

Brian James ‘Kicks & Diabolik Licks’ LP

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Subhumans / Pizzatramp – The Cab Newport 12/01/26

Subhumans / Pizzatramp – The Cab Newport 12/01/26

2025 was a fantastic year for gigs and possibly my most prolific year to date. I waste absolutely no time in kick-starting this year with a bang! I was off to see the anarcho-punk legends Subhumans. This seems to be a annual tradition, this is the third time I’ve seen them around the exact same date in as many years, this time I’m off to Newport and the cracking venue The Cab which incidentally was the last venue I went to only a few weeks ago, it’s great to see Punk/Hardcore scene thriving again in Newport and it’s now got a excellent venue which is going from strength to strength! 

Right, let’s get on with then shall we? I make my way to Newport from Swansea through the South Wales transport system and typical for me things don’t ever run smoothly the train I planned on catching is delayed with no estimate so I improvise catch a different train change at Cardiff and arrive in Newport fashionably late but thankfully still in time to see Caldicot Crossover thrash stalwarts Pizzatramp, who’s last gig of 2025 was in the same room a few weeks ago supporting the mighty Hard Skin, I got in too late last time to catch them so it would have been very rude to have missed them again. 

As they take to the stage, this sold-out room is packed, with no room to swing a cat. I make my way to the side of the room out of the way of the inevitable carnage that’s about to happen. Young & old, men & women, black & white, everyone is welcome here, and it’s great to see. There are punks, thrashers and Skinheads all enjoying themselves as Pizzatramp thrash their way through a breakneck speed set. Frontman Jimmy is on fine form tonight, both in playing and with his banter with the crowd. The rhythm section is extremely tight as the band rip through plenty of bangers, ‘Millions of Dead Goths’ being an early highlight. We get “I Got Work In The Morning’,  ‘There’s Been Murder’, ‘Flagshaggers United’, ‘Mr Slam’, the pit is chaos, bodies everywhere, this is thrashtastic. As the set is about to end, one young member of the audience gives a shout for ‘Cop Fetish’, which Jimmy responds with a barrage 4 letter insults, as he can’t remember how it goes. After a moment of deliberation, he gives the young man what he wants as they race to the finish line. Nice one, boys, that got us warmed up lovely on this cold January evening. 

During the break I make way downstairs to have a gander at the merch and fill my boots with a couple of extremely affordable Subhumans records, the band could never ever be accused of doing anything for the money, £10 to get in, £15 a record, £10 a CD this is how Punk should be, no £80 hoodies in sight which is such a rarity these days it’s a pleasure to see and a testament to the bands character that they can still do this year in year out and give everyone there money’s worth. 

I set up camp in the same spot back upstairs, and the band take to the stage. Frontman Dick Lucas informs the crowd, “In case you’re in the wrong place, we’re the ‘Subhumans’ and they proceed to blast through a classic opener ‘All Gone Dead’ from one of the greatest punk albums of all time, ‘The Day The Country Died’. 

No Subhumans gig is ever the same, this band change up the set every night and plays songs from their whole catalogue. The early part of the set is frantic, we get ‘Drugs Of Youth’, ‘Evolution’, ‘Parasites’ from the early EP’s, all of which were released years before I was even born, and all stand the test of time. The lyrics are just as relevant now as back then. 

What sets them apart from their fellow arachno/crust punk contemporaries is how damn catchy the tunes are, I dare anyone to listen to ‘99%’ off the fantastic ‘Crisis Point’ and not be singing along the next time you hear it. 

We get the one and only slower moment of the set with the reggae/punk inspired ‘Human Error’, which Dick Lucas would do more of in his excellent other projects, ‘Culture Shock’ and Citizen Fish. When I say slower, I really mean the first minute or so before the song builds into a frantic finish. 

Like I said earlier, the band change things up live all the time. During the middle of the set, we are treated to four classics from the vastly underrated album ‘Worlds Apart’, again a testament to the band that they can remember every note, beat and lyric from a vast catalogue. ‘Pigman’, ‘Businessmen’, ‘British Disease’ and the biggest singalong of the evening so far, the absolutely cracking ‘Apathy’. “Drink, sex, cigarettes, Ford Cortina, household pets, bombs, war, famine, death, an apathetic public couldn’t care less” sings Dick, and the crowd scream it back at him, outstanding. 

From here on, things get intense. The band is blistering, Dick doesn’t stop moving for a moment, ridiculous energy, how he does it, I’ll never know. The rest of Subhumans are keeping things extremely tight, Phil and Trotsky on bass and drums respectively keep the rhythm section thundering. Bruce on guitar is one of the best at what he does. This run of the last seven songs I’m not kidding is one of the finest I’ve heard by any band live in sometime it was near perfection in the track listing, the bass line of ‘Society’ kicks in and the place loses its shit, it doesn’t let up here though, straight into the double salvo of ‘Minority’ and fan favourite ‘Mickey Mouse Is Dead’, next we’re treated to the epic debut album closer ‘Black and White’. Dick stops to say there are a few more to play and asks a member of the audience to count in the next song, but there’s a catch it’s gotta be in Welsh, someone obliges and after Un, Dau, Tri, Pedwar the band rip into ‘Peroxide’ after that it’s almost over with two songs left what could they be? 

Well, it’s possibly not only the band’s finest two songs ever, but these are two of the best punk songs of all time and I will die on that hill. The opening bass rumbles and the words “No I don’t believe in Jesus Christ, my mother died of cancer when I was five” is one of the most brutal opening lines to a song I’ve ever heard, the song is simply titled ‘No’ and a classic it is and to finish the night we get ‘Religious Wars’ the limbs are flying and the singing is loud and proud. What better way to spend a Monday night. 

Same time next year, please? As long as Subhumans are still playing, I will be there, long may they continue. 

Author: Chris Davies

SKYRACER – ‘SKYRACER V1.0’ (Self-Released)

SKYRACER – ‘SKYRACER V1.0’ (Self-Released)

To many, the name Skyracer will be a new one, although for those with a love of nostalgia-fueled synthwave rock music, this Sheffield duo has been making massive waves in the retro scene. Which led me to order the duo’s album on the only physical release available on cassette.

Having a glance at their Bandcamp intro – SKYRACER is the sound of long-lost summers, glowing skies, and the bittersweet blur of growing up. Formed in Sheffield by two lifelong friends who hang, cook, write, and record every week, SKYRACER blends 90s pop-punk energy with nostalgic synth textures, cinematic storytelling, and the emotion of a midnight voicemail you never sent – screams everything you need to know about them. 

The music comes from a place that is equal parts Busted alongside Funeral For A Friend, with some Saving Aimee thrown in for good measure. While never being anything new, the enthusiasm bursts through in the music’s feel-good nature.

Kicking things off with an Intro that is so wonderful and a call back to a better and easier time, that was a childhood that feels like a lifetime ago. This leads straight into the next monster single, ‘I Just Wanna Know’, which hints at a more hard rock-leaning hook but is a surefire hit if only it were released with a nostalgic-fueled promo.

This is followed by the debut single ‘Howling’, which, having lived with this song for a while, leads me to believe that this duo have struck gold on their first outing. So much so that since it was released back in May 2025, it hasn’t left my Bandcamp playlist.

Side A – is basically the first bunch of singles that the duo released over the last couple of months. These include: ‘Los Alamos’, ‘Under The Lights’, and ‘We’ve Been Alive’. Side B, on the other hand, is absolute gold – starting off with the unbelievable duet with House of Serpents/Jan, the amazing ‘Drenched in Blood’ – which has already been released and is no doubt a precursor to only more greatness from all the artists involved.

‘Champion’ Edition is up next and is one of the best singles I’ve heard recently. Basically, this album is the synthwave equivalent of local heroes Def Leppard’s Hysteria in that all of the songs are potential singles. Just check out the album closing duo of ‘Hung The Moon’ and ‘Last Token’. No closing songs of an album have the right to be this good. All 11 songs on SKYRACER V1.0 are proof of the old and overused adage – all killer, no filler.

The duo are also fresh from a couple of opening slots on the recent LeBrock 10-year anniversary tour, and if anything, I hope we will all be there to see a decade anniversary tour of SKYRACER! Yes, those retro boys from Sheffield have done a great job! Now it’s my turn to have a go at the old Nintendo Game Boy.

Bandcamp

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Author: Dave Prince

Gluecifer – ‘Same Drug New High’ (Steamhammer)

Gluecifer – ‘Same Drug New High’ (Steamhammer)

Praise the fuckin Lord and any other higher powers for making this happen, and I’m sure I speak for many when I say the end of year album of the year might just be over already because Gluecifer are in da Mother funkin’ House! ‘Same Drug New High’ with its tasteful wholesome artwork is amongst us and whilst the world turns to shit and we’re all hellbound in a handcart the soundtrack to the journey into oblivion is fuckin pure fire!

As ‘The Idiot’ doesn’t so much bleed into your ether but rather kicks your eardrum all over the floor with its Subteranian Homesick rock out attack, Gluecifer confirm they have lost none of their fire, coolness or earworm goodness, and in three minutes they kick your backside so hard you would find sitting down impossible.

Hold on to your sanity because the title track is rapid through the door with a great hook. Gluecifer are the undisputed “Kings Of Rock”, and the world was a darker place back in 2005. After a farewell tourr it was a relatively short time to be fair, but in November 2017, the band announced their reunion for 2018. After 7 years, it was time to record the new album, stop the hype train and put their reputation on the line. It’s the first one since 2004, and boy, what a return it is.

keeping it to eleven tracks, they’ve not so much eased themselves back into the scen they’ve blown the doors off and with a sound and attitude that seems totally appropriate and oozing super cool attitude. I enjoyed Poons post Gluecifer projects, but I’ve missed the dynamic attack of Malibu spitting out the words backed by some tremendous riffage. It’s great to feel excited over some music, even at my advancing years its great to be alive and smashing out some high tempo rock n fuckin roll.

They’ve not reinvented the wheel or unlocked a new genre or gone drastic techno, but they’ve taken what they know and do and turned it up to 11 whilst using their experiences as the kings of Rock to puff their chests out and rock out even when the record takes a sharp breath its better than most other bands’ best song like the galloping riff of ‘The Score’ but they follow it up with ‘Pharmacity’ and its bright intro before burrowing into your brain with a great earworm.

What they do best is loud rock n roll like ‘1996’, simple but precise riffage and cool lyrics who else sings about their socks? One of the album’s deeper cuts is ‘Made In The Morning’ with its Malcolm Young tone; they sure do channel their inner classic DC and accelerate the song with a great chorus.

After playing nothing else since I had the album (not a great place to be for someone who has a stack of records to review) its hard not to compare loud rock n roll to this at the moment, so I’m just going to roll with it and keep this same drug giving me these new highs. ‘Another Night Another City’ is a time-honoured road story touching on elements of Cock Sparrer’s brand of Bootboy rock n roll with a fine hook and melody before they sign the comeback record off with ‘On The Wire’. If you were expecting a ballad to close off a rockin’ record, you might be disappointed if you want another full tilt boogie Gluecifer style, then get up for one last slam dance, but is that a keyboard /I hear noodling behind that filthy Bass line? Not a million miles from Colin Towns vibes as The Boys twist my mellon before singing off a magnificent return to form Now please come to the UK and no more hiatuses lifes too short, and the world needs Gluecifer right here, right now! Buy this record.

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Author: Dom Daley

The Boys – ‘The Singles Collection 77-25’ (Cherry Red Records)

The Boys – ‘The Singles Collection 77-25’ (Cherry Red Records)

In the time-honoured old lady at the thought of an election, “Not Another One?” yup, it’s another one, but this is the definitive Boys Singles Collection just in case you’d forgotten how bloody good the band is.

The 2CD Digipak features the ‘A’ & ‘B’ sides of every physical (7″ vinyl /CD) Single release from both The Boys & The Yobs from 1977 to 2025. The release includes a 20-page booklet with detailed linear notes and pictures of all the relevant sleeves. Just in case you fancied trawling Discogs looking to track down the elusive original 7″ before the brand new 2026 album drops from The Boys.

What’s not to love about such classics as ‘I Don’t Care’, ‘Sick On You’ ‘, First Time’, and the legendary ‘Brickfield Nights’, which are all very much part of the current Boys live set. But it’s also a chance to wrap up the latter Boys singles like ‘I’m A Believer’ and ‘Punk Rock Girl’, which, to be fair, are distant enough to be joining the first wave classics because time has fallen favourably on songs like those off ‘Punk Rock Menapause’. The liner notes are suitably detailed and offer fantastic value with their twenty pages. Every festive period you can offer up ‘Run Rudolph Run’ or ‘The Worm Song’ just to offend your nan.

Drawing in their footy anthem ‘Svengerland’ and demos as well as unplugged B Sides, this is a comprehensive set and trawling through the good old days in the late 70s to the here and now, it’s a wonderful two-disc showcase to the endurance and downright class of the Boys and all who sailed with them. Forty songs over two discs is one hell of a legacy to Rock n Roll. Buy It!

You can pre-order the collection from Cherry Red – click here

Author: Dom Daley

The Molotovs/Garage Flower – Lending Room, Leeds – 7th January 2026 

The Molotovs/Garage Flower – Lending Room, Leeds – 7th January 2026 

What happens when you take two teenage siblings from the heart of London town with a rock n’ roll dream and something to say, force feed them a diet of Sex Pistols sneer, The Jam’s sharp suss and a heady dose of The Libertines? The Molotovs are what happens. Singer/guitarist Mathew and bassist Issey are just 17 and 19, respectively and have been making a name for themselves the past 2 years, gigging hard. 

With more than 500 shows under their belts, The Molotovs have put in the hard work, and it seems to be paying off. Following support slots with The Sex Pistols and Blondie, a slew of high-energy anthemic singles that nod to the glory days of ‘77 and a debut album due at the end of the month, their time is now….right now. 

First up tonight, though, are local lads Garage Flower, who have the task of warming up the growing crowd. Presumably named after The Stone Roses album of the same name, the four-piece band deliver a high-energy set of guitar-driven, garage rock. Don’t let the baggy jeans, the floppy fringes and their youthful looks deceive you, these boys are no shoegazing indie pretenders.  

With gravelly lead vocals, effect-ridden guitars and a tight rhythm section that gives a funky feel, Garage Flower have more in common sound-wise with the likes of Senseless Things and Mega City 4 than their Manchester heroes. The angst and rawness of ‘Jammy and’ Garage Flower’ also remind me of Aussie rockers The Vines, so they have that grungy, guitar rock thing going on, which is always a good thing.  

With a high-energy, animated set and plenty of crowd interaction from the singer, these hometown boys are worth checking out. Always make it in time for the support band. 

It’s sold out tonight at this, the second date of a UK tour promoting the yet-to-be-released debut album ‘Wasted On Youth’, and The Molotovs are firing on all cylinders from the moment they hit the stage. Singer Mathew spits, snarls and bashes his Rickenbacker like the bastard offspring of Rotten and Weller. Stage left, his sister Issey is a fervent ball of energy as she pulls off moves most couldn’t match, let alone whilst playing an instrument. Behind them, their latest drummer is a blur of flailing arms and urgent beats. 

With a fistful of songs some will know and a set of largely unfamiliar material, the band must rely on raw energy and their ability to entertain to win over a notoriously hard-to-please Leeds crowd, and they pull it off with ease. Opener ‘Urbia’ and the following ‘Newsflash’ are unfamiliar, yet sound mighty. The killer boy/girl “woah-woah’s” add a touch of class to the latter. Bowie’s ‘Suffragette City is up next, it sounds great, but they don’t really need it, their own material stands up. 

‘Johnny Don’t Be Scared’ and ‘More More More’ are modern, mod-tinged anthems that carry some clout and staying power. ‘Rhythm Of Yourself’ was one of the best tunes of last year, it pogos on a bouncy bass line and a very catchy chorus, it was bound to be a live highlight. Of the unfamiliar songs, ‘Wasting My Time’ is gloriously post-punk and ‘No Time To Talk’ sounds like early Manics, which is no bad thing. 

Chat is kept minimal, although we do get the odd quip from a seemingly nonchalant singer who does try to get a reaction from the crowd. Maybe tonight’s demographic was a bit higher than the band are used to, and while the audience may have lacked some energy, the band certainly didn’t. 

Between Mat’s raw, acerbic delivery, Issey’s relentless energy and the drummer’s Keith Moon-esque power, the trio deliver a faultless set of a seasoned touring band. After an incendiary hour set, they wrap things up with a two-song encore, including new single ‘Get A Life’, which was probably my highlight of the night. 

What a way to start off the gigging this year. For me, the Molotovs are the real deal and the full package. They look good, they sound great and are an exciting and entertaining live band. It’s hard to believe they are not even in their 20s yet.  

‘Wasted On Youth’ is a highly anticipated debut album, and I believe you will not get the chance to see them in small venues like this for much longer. The Molotovs are the sound of youth and the world is theirs for the taking. This is just the beginning. 

Author: Ben Hughes