South Wales is alive with the sound of music and thunder or is it musical thunder? Mistakes Were Made are a trio of rockers fueled by the riff-a-rama of classic DC mixed with more Grungy elements and a healthy stoner grind happening. ‘Dice’ has the feel of Powerage mixed with classic Kauss and a twist of Helmet just for added sonic welly.
Mistakes Were Made aren’t fresh-faced youngsters, It’s fair to say that each member has been round the block a couple of times, with both Lino and Lee forming part of late 90s/early 00s outfit Ruby Cruiser. They were Signed to One Little Indian and with a Chris (Foo Fighters) Sheldon- produced debut album under their belt, they were on their way to bigger things – before the gods of rock’n’roll fate hoofed them in the stones and everything fell apart. Lee was also a member of Newcastle-based noise-mongers Whatever and toured with heavyweights such as The Wildhearts and Bruce Dickinson in the mid-90s. Huw’s been at it a fair old while too, providing low end for a selection of bands in different styles and genres – though he’s happiest when he gets to deploy his collection of distortion pedals in service of The Riff.
‘No Way Back’ is a dark heaving thump with the Heaviness of Helmet but a melodic delivery on the vocals in a dark twisting way that covers genres but has a cohesive sound that is fluid and engaging. These are the first recordings from the band and to sample their wears head over to their soundcloud and get on board as they add more music when it’s done. The band’s aim is to have a good time rocking out and playing music that makes them happy and that’s always a great starting point and this pair of tracks show exactly what they can deliver then bring it on let’s have more and some live shows. The hills are definitely alive with the sound of rumbling thunder Rock on Mistakes Were Made you might be onto something.
Fact 3 – THE DWARVES began in the 1980’s as an Illinois punk garage band, covering everything from the Seeds and Moving Sidewalks to Gang of Four and Devo. They still have skinny ties and tight pants to prove it.
The LP’s Thank Heaven For Little Girls (1991) and Sugarfix (1993) solidified the basic lineup of vocalist Blag Jesus, bassist Sgt. Saltpeter and drummer Vadge Moore. Following the death of guitarist HeWhoCanNotBeNamed, the Dwarves made singles for Recess and Man’s Ruin, then signed to Epitaph and proceeded to do for pop-punk what they had done for grunge and garage, making The Dwarves Are Young & Good Looking (1997) and The Dwarves Come Clean (2000) definitive LPs of the skateboard punk era.
By the turn of the century, the Dwarves had toured Europe, Canada and the US extensively as well as Japan and Australia. Appearances on television and radio and dozens of song placements in film and TV solidified their legendary status. In 2005, The Dwarves Must Die (Sympathy) was hailed as their most eclectic album yet, with producer Eric Valentine and a cast of underground notables featured in cameos that had the dying recording industry buzzing. 2011 saw the release of The Dwarves Are Born Again (MVD), returning to the punk ferocity of yesteryear, but continuing the genre-defying experiments their fans now demanded.
2014 brought The Dwarves Invented Rock & Roll on DIY punk label Recess and the Gentleman Blag 7” on Fat Wreck Chords. 2015 produced Radio Free Dwarves, featuring live European radio performances that capture the Dwarves at their fire-breathing, old school best.
A slew of reissues and unreleased gems produced by Blag Dahlia followed on the Greedy Media imprint, including the glam punk Penetration Moon, retro girl pop Candy Now and even the bluegrass Earl Lee Grace LP’s reissued by Burger. The Dwarves early garage, noise punk and unreleased sides were repackaged as the double LPs Lick It and Free Cocaine and the masters of mayhem returned in 2018 with The Dwarves Take Back the Night LP (Burger) and Julio 7,” featuring a supergroup of past and future Dwarves, including HeWhoCanNotBeNamed, The Fresh Prince of Darkness, Rex Everything, Nick Oliveri, Hunter Down, Andy Now, and Black Josh Freese.
Once again, the Dwarves delivered the goods on wax skewering garage, punk, hardcore, electronica, doo-wop and noise music.
In 2022 Blag authored his third novel Highland Falls (Rare Bird) and released his first full length solo record, Introducing Ralph Champagne, showcasing his retro crooner alter ego.
As 2022 draws to a close, an avalanche of reissues brings back the entire Dwarves catalog on wax through Greedy/MVD and a double LP’s worth of brand new Dwarves material is slated for release in autumn 2023!
The relentless middle finger drive, catchy songwriting and deft production that set the Dwarves apart have never sounded better and with way over a thousand shows to their credit, there’s really only one punk band left that matters! Catch the Dwarves soon at a theater, nightclub or crack house near you, and check out our groundbreaking LPs online or at your local record store.
Shake off those festive cobwebs with some rollicking hard rock n roll courtesy of Small Town Saviours. This no holds-barred debut is a loud guitars to the max slice of hard rock. With no Wildhearts, those gaps are being filled with hard rockin’ mofos with tunes and hooks trying to get their barbs into our ears and Small Town Saviours have entered the ring and are coming out swinging.
Its upbeat for sure, Big riffs galore and hooks left right and centre. Its got that big choruses mixed with bombastic riffs left right and centre. They call out influences from familiar places with hooks like the Wildies, Choruses like Kiss attitude like Guns n Roses and some Ramones for good measure and to take the edge into a punkier direction. Songs about drinking (‘The Drinking Song’) Geography (‘Wild West'(Berkshire) ), with its countrified wheeze. there are a few familiar faces in Small town Saviours in Lance and Carl who prevously have graced the pages of RPM this time they come out swinging (‘London Aint Calling’) with its Pistols edge it’ll be a swinging night out whereas there is a DC edge to the riff-a-rama of ‘Translation Invariant’ as the guitars weave around the rhythm with its transatlantic groove making for a mixed record with lots to please many genre hoppers but keeping it all tightly joined up together so it’s not at all patchy and flows nicely.
If you’re looking for a high point then I’d suggest ‘Drama Queens’ with its attitude and rampaging rhythm it’ll punch you squarely on the beak if you’re not dancing like prime time Axl. To follow it up with ‘Boy Who Cried Wolf’ is impressive.
2023 is shaping up nicely so look out for this fourpiece raging through your town with an impressive debut offering.
In-depth box set, delving right back to the band’s pub rock roots right up until the present.
A celebration of Girlschool’s 40 plus years of rocking the globe, kicking off with their independently released 45 ‘Take It All Away’ b/w ‘It Could Be Better’.
Formed at school in the mid-70s, Kim McAuliffe and bassist Enid Williams joined forces as Painted Lady. It wasn’t until 78 that Girlschool formed. Guitarist Kelly Johnson and drummer Denise Dufort in April of ’78.
With their Debut album ‘Demolition’ breaking into the UK Top 30 a couple of years later, it was their follow-up ‘Hit And Run’ (1981) where I got interested. As a teenager, I couldn’t get enough of their EP ‘Valentines Day Massacre’ recorded with label mates Motörhead as HeadGirl. 1982’s ‘Wildlife’ EP would be Enid’s last outing with Girlschool for a while, as she was replaced on bass by Gil Weston for ‘Screaming Blue Murder’ (1982). Listening back to the two albums and EP many years later they were really onto something with their punky attitude mixed with the hard-rocking delivery they were playing by their own rules in a very difficult market with only The Runaways on the other side of the pond offering all-female line ups a fighting chance and they certainly had the chops to stand shoulder to shoulder with their peers.
There is a lot of music to get through and with a steady swirl of players through the ever-revolving door saw a dip in the quality of the music with the real high points being those first two albums by what has to be the classic lineup. There is however a whole load of interest in Disc 4 in this set featuring many rare B-Sides and non-album songs, as well as demos dating way back in 1978 right up to 2002, as well as Disc 5, being a really rare live outing from pre-Girlschool Painted Lady that is a must own for any fans of the band and hearing what they sounded like pre ‘Demolition’. To round off this excellent deep dive you also get sleeve notes from NWOBHM expert John Tucker, as well as plenty of rare photos from the band’s archive.
Fact 2. THE DWARVES first tour in 1988 covered over 6,000 miles and highlights were featured in the Village Voice. The tour consisted of 3 cities, 4 shows and $165 dollars cash. The band slept in a cargo van and booked gigs on stolen telephone cards.
Not only is Blag a supreme songwriter he also writes books made out of paper like ‘Highland Falls’ available Here
Throughout the whole of January RPM Online are giving you a Dwarves fact and video every day of the Motherfuckin Month – Seeing as they’ve just reissued all their albums on vinyl with extras it seemed only fair.
Were starting with the handsome Blag The Ripper and his alter ego Ralph Champagne and the lounge banger ‘Lolita Goodbye’ Buy the album Here
Fact 1 – THE DWARVES play music that crosses all rock genres including hardcore, garage, punk, surf, noise, death metal, experimental, industrial, hip/hop, grunge and good old-fashioned pop. Even their modesty is legendary.
Blag Dahlia- ‘Introducing Ralph Champagne’ (MVD Records)
He’s a naughty boy is that Blag Dahlia, Blag The Ripper or Ralph Champagne. With a cheeky smile and probably a packet of sweets, Blag goes lounge with this latest offering. Whilst it was released in late 2022 I wanted to save my review and use it as part of my January homage to the Dwarves and all things Dwarve. I cooked Christmas dinner with Ralph on as the go-to lift music or Shopping Mall tunage if you like. I was going to baste the bird with beer or Jager and then I’d have blamed Blag it would seem like the right thing to do.
Drop the needle at the top and Blags dulcet tones break through like a cheeky schoolboy as ‘It’s Over’ fills the air with a cheeky smile but its ‘Contraband’ that sent me all in from the softly spoken verses to that insanely catchy countrified singalong chorus.
Hell ‘Lolita Goodbye’ is classic Blag – Americana, outlaw country, ’70s pop, it’s genius. you could play it in front of your gran and she’d never know. Written in lockdown Blag the crooner hit the jackpot as he runs through the gentle fields of ‘Summer Rain’ with his Roger Whittaker whistle and gentle breezy vocals much like the outlaw country of ‘Don’t Tread On Me’. ‘Elementry Love Song’ is that 70s pop song the kind you’d hear at the Diner before the Fonz walks in.
He signs off with the balladeering of ‘Shes All Mine’ with its cheeky lyrics and chorus to die for – of course we saw it coming its Blag The Ripper the filthy swine. Gift it to someone who hasn’t got a clue or just simply play it on the school run Blag rocks even when hes not Rockin’ Welcome to the fold Ralph you are most welcome.
Bubbling just outsdie a top ten would be Suede, JJ & The Real Jerks, Peteer Doherty & Frederick Lo, Marc Valentine, Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids, Midnight, John Reis, The Afghan Whigs, The Vibrators, and so many more.
Whitespade – ‘Whitespade’ (Iron Grip)
Jo Dog & Paul Blacks Sonic Boom – ‘Everybody Rains On My Parade’ (Black City Records)
We’d like to begin the rundown of what we enjoyed in 2022 by dishing up some of the best live shows we attended as a team. We read some books, saw some videos, listened to countless new albums, played some wonderful reissues. If you notice we haven’t covered some of your favourite bands then why not drop us a line and join the team? 2023 is already stacking up with new albums and tours already booked and if you think you can add to RPM Online then get in touch rpmonlinetcb@yahoo.co.uk
So without delay here are some of the writer’s favs for 2022…
Supersuckers/The Hip Priests/Deathtraps – Newport Le Pub
Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert – Wembley Stadium
Jesse Malin – Newport Le Pub
The Atom Age/Pizzatramp – Newport Le Pub
Scene Killers/Deathtraps/System Reset – Newport McCanns
MUSIC BOOKS of 2022
Denim & Leather: The Rise and Fall of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal – Michael Hann
Stunt Rocker: The Many Faces of Andy Ellison – Andy Ellison
The Road Bends – Sami Yaffa
BEST NEW ACT
Continental Lovers
Best Reissues of 2022
Demolition 23 – ‘Demolition 23’
Silver Sun – ‘Silver Sun’ & ‘Neo Wave’
Diamond Head – ‘Lightning To The Nations’
Best Box Sets of 2022
KISS – ‘Creatures Of The Night (40th Anniversary – Super Deluxe Box Set)’
David Bowie – ‘Divine Symmetry’
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT –
The world of rock seemingly forgetting Phil Anselmo’s love of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc from just a few years ago. The Lickerish Quartet calling it a day and ‘Under The Midnight Sun’ by The Cult…I simply expect more from that band.
CONTRIBUTION to MUSIC – Michael Monroe
Michael Monroe, who turned 60 earlier this year and assembled one of the best gig line ups anywhere on the planet in 2022 to help celebrate the special occasion. He also features in my albums and reissues of year lists and having been a part of my life for about 40 years now I take my hat off to the man who (thankfully) lives to fast to die young.
The Interrupters, Bar Stool Preachers – Bristol Marble factory
Soul Asylum , – Bristol Fleece
Contribution to music –
Michael Monroe – turning 60 and like John said Monroe also reissued Demolition 23, reissued Hanoi Rocks ‘Oriental Beat’ (Early 2023) He also played what would have been the show of the year and is still going super stong with tours already booked for 2023 there is no slowing down and the quality never dips.
Biggest Disappointment – pressing plants taking forever delaying releases whilst repressing a bazzillion adele and Fleetwood Mac albums that sit in warehouses. The Tories for brexshit and the escalation in mail prices for imports and causing the world and his wife to have to go on strike to fight for a decent standard of living.
Corporate Rock Sucks – Jim Rutland “I’m always a little bit out of step being a paperback fan but I’m afraid I could not wait to imbibe in the killer content of this weighty tome.
Best New act
For me the ones to watch out for are Edinburgh’s Swim School. Savage Alt Rock guitar chops mixed up with sublime dreamscapes to get lost in.
Biggest disappointment –
It’s been a year for splits, fractures and generally making fans pick sides through the power of social media and not letting sleeping dogs lie. Hoping for 2023 that the room will be read and certain parties will not fan the flames any further and move on.
Nev Brooks
TOP GIGS
1)GARY NUMAN -CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
2)KILLING JOKE- TRAMSHED CARDIFF
3)THE CURE- CARDIFF C.I.A.
3)PRIMAL SCREAM-SCREAMADELICA (CARDIFF CASTLE)
5)JESSE MALIN- NEWPORT LePUB
6)JOHN CALE & SPECIAL GUESTS- CARDIFF MILLENIUM CENTRE
7)COWBOY JUNKIES- ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL LONDON
8)LADY BLACKBIRD- BRISTOL TRINITY
9)RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS- LONDON STADIUM
10)KILLING JOKE C.I.A CARDIFF
RE-ISSUE OF THE YEAR
DEMOLITION 23- DEMOLITION 23
BOX SET
PRINCE- PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION LIVE
So there you have some of the events and music that has been a big part of some of the writers on RPM Online throughout 2022. A big thanks from RPMHQ for all their efforts.
The first solo album by Tyla after the demise of one of the 80’s finest UK bands The Dogs D’Amour. Finally after so many reissues and remakes for vinyl this champion finally gets released on vinyl without any make overs or rerecordings. Now that might just please many Dogs fans who hanker back to a time when the classic Dynamite lineup ruled the airwaves.
You have to hark back to its original release date in ’94, (Remember dial up folks? When there used to be a chat room on a sunday of hardcore Dogs) when it only came out on CD and in the UK. It was right after the split of The Dogs D’Amour.
The album contains tracks featuring The Dogs D’Amour members, as well as a list of Tyla solo acoustic tracks. Well, this one comes pressed on vinyl with a gatefold sleeve and it’s been remastered for vinyl. Spread out over two delicious records it kicks off with the ragged glory of ‘Ballad Of Noone In Particular’ which is a slice of classic Dogs – barely hanging on by a thread its a reminder of how magical these guys were together when they entered a studio or a concert venue. Matched only by some of the best songs they wrote and recorded together since the early day’s songs like ‘All You Had’ are blooming marvelous. The Soulful wheeze of ‘Bloody Mary’ bares the band’s soul for sure with the backing vocals and keys adding touches of gold dust across a record that takes me back in time had the Stones written and recorded this the music press would have been all over it like a rash heralding a return to the glory days.
The guitar lick on the whistful meander through the rainy streets of old London town that signal the intro of ‘Where Were You’ is heartbreaking with Tyla hitting a high in his songwriting and lyrics – simply majestic. The organ wheeze of the Faces like ‘Little Things’ signals a howlingly good melancholic time that the band never quite reached when the band split and solo music appeared. Nobody did the blues quite like the Dogs.
Then ‘The Adultra’ comes in on a lick and a promise as Tylas vocals are full of heartbreak and soul as the acoustic balladmonger takes center stage for what turned out to be his finest collection of material post-original Dogs in my eyes. What follows is a master class in songwriting and solo balladeering no question. ‘Throw It All Away’ would have blown up had it been on the acoustic ‘Graveyard’ EP the band had delivered some years earlier. Truly haunting and epic in every sense the arrangement is immaculate as is the delivery. Simply spine-tingling.
I loved the simplicity and the storytelling of ‘The Town’ Tylas vocals never sounded so good and it has clearly stood the test of time. the piano and harmonica hit every note of your heart as they vibrate through your body. Tyla has had his moments throughout his career but not as consistently as this. this has no low point throughout be it the Dogs song or the piano bombast of ‘Spirit Of The Jag’ or the Blues of ‘The Whisper’ and ending with the spoken words of ‘King Of The Street’ and then silence before a certain duet gives you two black eyes and a broken nose.
As the near-perfect solo album has only been enhanced as it gets immortalised on wax with the artwork getting the sizing it deserves and the expansion of the Dog’s tracks adding that cherry on the icing on the sweetest cake ever.
‘Carpenter’s Cult’ is the latest spooktacular album by Lester Greenowski, with 13 songs inspired by 13 titles from the work of American filmmaker John Carpenter.
Its seventies New York punk rock (Ramones, Heartbreakers, Dictators etc.) and hard rock of the same period (AC / DC, Kiss, Cheap Trick etc.), Influences that have always been present in Lester’s work but this time the concept is a tip of the hat to John Carpenter opening with the crash, bang wallop of ‘Halloween’ no messing straight down to business Mr. Myers would undoubtedly applaud this.
With a list of band that suit Carpenters work and also sit nicely in the genre of music that Lester is steeped in the likes of the Misfits, Lords Of The New Church, Fuzztones, The Beat, The Plimsouls, 20/20 etc. all help weave the tapestry that makes Lesters music so identifiable and all fit in nicely to a Carpenter homage fest. Horror punk and psycadelic outsiders all help when thrown into the spooky pot.
Released on Rocketman Records, it features the help of Matteo Bassoli from Me And That Man on bass, guitars and synths; Davide Furlani on drums, SJ Aschieris from The Rocker on guitars and many other guests. Greenowski as well as being the author of music and lyrics is feautured on bass, synths, piano and obviously vocals.
Lester’s love for cinema and punk rock n roll is the perfect marriage for this project. Songs like ‘Prince Of Darkness’ mix well with their power pop roots alongside the darker more punk rockier leanings of ‘Vampires’. ‘Assault On Precinct 13’ is a snotty Ramones thrash through in ninety seconds but next to the new wave of ‘They Live’ works really well.
With every other song being a short sharp blast of punk rock makes the album flow well then throwing hooks left right and center. The keyboard fills on ‘Village Of The Damned’ add texture that helps to break up the record from sounding one-directional and tossing in flavours for every taste, ‘Big Trouble In Little China’ is a chartworthy bop of Punk N Roll. Ending the album with the anthemic ‘The Fog’ ties everything in nicely making sure nothing is mist (See what I did there?) A fantastic concept and tip of the hat to Mr. Carpenter from the very talented Mr. Greenowski. Go check it out kids punks and rockers alike as well as you film fans its a win win!
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