Now we do love a new band of misfits playing rock and roll so when the Suicide Notes dropped this new video we had to share it with the good people who read RPM Online. Not a ballad but an acoustic song we’re told. Now kids remember its not big or clever to smoke a cigarette not anymore but Billy loves a capstan no filter or two. check out the video and drop by on their facebook page to see what’s happening Here
OF course, fans of Hot Knives will be all over this and so they should. With more to come, we’ll keep you posted.
Friday is always a day where you are either confident that your pre Rebellion training is paying off or the first day that the hair of the dog feels like a great idea and you start to feel the burn.
After a hearty breakfast in some greasy spoon or a vegan falafel and a power walk. Or if your of a certain age like us a banana and a bowl of bran. then a quick blast along the seafront to get some of that sea air in your lungs and then its good to go for round two.
After some Bingo with Max (fingers crossed we win the trouser press from his hotel room (cough cough) eyes down for a line (its bingo speak) then it’s some magic with Rat Boy before the Rock and Roll starts proper.
After a decent perusal of the running order, I would recommend partaking in some limbering up and stretches to T-F-G or as you would know them – The Fucking Glorious (what? we don’t know or ask) but they make a decent noise so pop into the sauna that is the Arena nice n early before the walls start perspiring. Then I suggest you stay put for some of that Grime street punk that is the Riskee And The Ridicule. A band we’ve been following since we were introduced to their recent debut (reviewed Here) With barely time to grab an ice cream and wipe off the sweat it’ll be a hop skip and jump into The Pavillion for Turbulent Hearts but here goes the first clash of the day as Raging Nathans are on at the same time back in the Arena – a band who were seriously good in the Introducing stage last year. Proving that the organisers do take notice and bands do progress. so, always worth getting your tapes in or whatever constitutes a demo these days. Hard work certainly pays but don’t forget you have to have some tunes too.
The one thing you try not to get bent out of shape over are the clashes. Sure its often unavoidable and when it happens its a bummer. Make your choice and stick to it sometimes its good to watch the first half of one then go to the other for the last half especially if it’s later in the day and the bands are playing for an hour you can comfortably see half a set. Sadly for me, Friday is going to be all about choices I’m going to either plan ahead (military style) or just flip a coin and stick to it.
As for the Empress early evening, you can catch up with some established acts like Penetration who are immediately followed by TV Smith playing The Adverts. Tonight the UK Subs also hit the Empress Stage and will turn in their usually epic set over the last few years their sets have become more and more epic and The Empress usually fills up so if you are partaking in some Subs get in early it’ll get very busy.
But, Let’s not get ahead of ourselves because over on the Club Casbah stage at 3.15 we welcome back Dragster after missing them last year they’re back with a new album and a sharper more focussed sound. If the weather has anything to do with it they’ll be on when only Mad Dogs and Englishmen (and a few Welshmen) will be out and about in support of that ‘Anti Everything’ album it’ll be a wild ride if previous performances are anything to go by and one I would recommend catching. If Casbah is an escape from the greenhouse effect of walking around the pop-up shop stalls then its only a short wait until another band who was widely missed last year hit the stage, Argy Bargy. They only made a return to the stage in May so that will be a popular set no question that’ll be busy and you might as well hang around because fresh from the studio Spunk Volcano and The Eruptions are on after Argy with their ‘Double Bastard’ epic in tow. Why not join in and throw yourself around like a teenager it’ll will be the perfect loosener.
I might then Pop over to the Opera House for some 1-2-3-4 with The Avengers who are back again from Sunny California. Damn, I feel bad for not mentioning what on the Almost Acoustic stage where you can sit (not always) in relative comfort and see the whites of your favourite punk rockers eyes as they’re stripped bare (not literally unless its HeWho). My top tip for who where and when would be Duncan Reid who is picking up the acoustic for a run through his fantastic power pop repertoire. This is listed to happen at the highly responsible time of 9.25 by which time the beer will have kicked in so a fine chance to sing-a-long could be on the cards. If Duncan plays the final number quick enough it shouldn’t be a problem hot-footing it over to the Opera House for Cheetah Chromes Dead Boys sure, sure, sure we’ve heard the rumours about whos playing will they won’t they; well, so far it hasn’t been cancelled so I guess I’ll be elbowing my way to the front for some ‘Sonic Reducer’ whilst the night is still young.
So Hopefully Dead Boys show but if not you could head over to the Empress for some ‘Golden Brown’ and The Stranglers or why not head back to the Acoustic stage for Alex Wonk and join him for some songs about plastering and/or race horses, either way, it’ll be good. I could keep going as to where to be and at what time but such is the quality on offer. You could be in any vicinity of a PA and I’m sure if you stand still long enough a quality tune will waft over the airwaves towards you and if you have a beer in your hand there will be someone to talk to and shoot the breeze with.
Now that’s two down and two to go hopefully you’ll just need a gentle cool down because like we say its not a sprint. I’ll be off to bed dreaming about the morrows fry up and we’ll no doubt dissect the action so far. Onwards and upwards and bring on the weekend when things tend to get a little messy.
Our favourite purveyors of filthy Rock and Roll and 100% rock n rollers the hip Priests have knocked out a video in support of their latest single that can be found through the band’s page Here It’s their twenty-fourth single thus far and the band just get better and better.
They prepare for their Sjock appearance alongside their European dates with the mighty Electric Frankenstein just before they hook up with The Dwarves for a few dates (how cool is that?). If you’ve not seen them live this is your chance. Get out there and support live music and top Rock and Roll bands – Tour dates Here
British group Def Robot have opened up their repertoire with their debut album ‘Makers of Mountains’, blending an essence of 90s alternative rock with a touch of garage. It’s an album with a few twists and turns, knocking up a few surprise moments on the way.
Starting off in dreamy, brooding fashion is album opener ‘Falling Apart Again’, wrapped up in a wealth of vocal harmonies and effects. It’s a slow start for the record, and an interesting choice, making the following track, ‘A Mover and Shaker’, a bit of surprise with its hard hitting bass riff and cranked up guitars. It’s a catchy wake-up call before descending back into the slow, trudging dream of ‘Fall on You’.
The album continues to chop and change between moods, lulling you into a sense of calm before promptly slapping you in the face again. Songs such as the rather short, ‘Fortune Cookie Writer’ and the immediate singalong song ‘Long Time Dead’ are dark and atmospheric, whereas the swaggering ‘Ferman Saved My Life (CUT!)’ offers something heavier. There are one or two surprises throughout. ‘Sweet and Sour’, for example, serves up a huge poppy chorus in Brit pop style with jangling tambourines, while ‘Pieces of Me’ delves in to 80s pop territory with its sweet saxophone sounds cutting through the mix. ‘Gordon from Gordon’ is the closest the band get to a solid, straight up rock song, and it’s a welcome change of pace towards the end of the album. The final track is ‘Last Stop Coney’, which seems to end just as its kicking off, prompting an immediate re-listen. It seems an odd time to stop, but then this whole record is keen to let you expect the unexpected.
The record is steeped in guitar and vocal layers, offering a full sound of experimentation over a selection of solid riffs and quirky songwriting. It’s indie inspirations, coupled with its variety of sounds and directions, make this a record a fresh and interesting debut from Def Robot.
So for an extra night, Hammersmith is about to become a hop jumping jive shack as those Stray Cats get to strut their stuff once more over London Town. tonight they are joined by Australias finest wielders of that Setzer Gretsch The Living End and one of the UK’s finest exponents of Ska the Selecter. An odd line up considering The Living End saunter onto the cavernous Hammersmith stage first and waste no time in cranking out the big guns as ‘Roll On’ is fired off followed by ‘Second Solution’. I was lucky enough to see The Living End play a warm-up show many moons ago in my home town to about fifty people and tonight it seems that the London crowd are slowly filling up the large void that is the stalls and I’m sure those who are in early doors would agree that those choosing the overpriced London G&T’s to the Rock and Roll display currently on display need to have a word with themselves.
With a reasonably new album in tow The Living End mix the set up with old and new whilst bookending their brief set with a few classics that this audience would or should love. By the time they hit ‘West End Riot’ and finished with ‘Prisoner Of Society’ they were just loosening up and getting into their stride. I do love the living End and in frontman Chris, they have one fine guitar picker and someone who can mix up punk, rock-a-billy and some hard-rockin’ riff with ease and turn them all into some fine tunes deserves a much wider audience. The perfect opener for any band especially one of the stature of the Stray Cats.
Next up The Selecter who have crafted the tightest band currently knocking out some top Ska anywhere. Having seen the band several times I know how good they are and at Festivals with the limited time, they get it that you have to play certain tunes or else. Tonight sandwiched between The Living End and the Stray Cats seemed a little odd maybe they should have opened but that’s just my opinion maybe wanting Living End to play to a bigger audience but ‘Three Minute Hero’ is as good as the genre of UK Ska gets and the band sounds fantastic with a superb live mix noticeably better than what Living End had. To be fair they began really well but it did tail off with ‘Danger’ and then ‘Train To Skasville’ and the instrumental ‘James Bond Theme’ stretching it. It wasn’t all lost as plenty of rockabillys decided that they could moon stomp when ‘On My Radio’ was fired up. Which only left ‘Too Much Pressure’/ ‘Pressure Drop’ and then they were gone no doubt leaving with several new fans who were impressed with what they’d just seen and heard.
Right Scream for me Hammersmith its time for those throwback Rock and Rolling exponents of 50’s rock and roll the Stray Cats who strut onto the stage looking like the best-dressed gang in town waste no time and kick off a monster set with the lead track off their brand new album. ‘Cat Fight (Over A Dog Like Me)’ wastes no time as its kicked down the link by ‘Runaway Boys’ and as they say in Memphis the joint was a jumpin’ for sure.
Gene Vincents ‘Double Talkin’ Baby’ is aired as the trio pays homage to one of their heroes. We also get ‘Stray Cat Strut’ early and the boys in the band are sounding superb. It’s been quite a considerable time since I first saw the band live and the years haven’t diminished their look nor their sound and their belief that unwavering belief in what they do is a joy to see. Lets not over look the fact that Setzers guitar playing is out of this world and his sense of style when playing is as good as its ever been. Sure they might not leap about the stage quite like they did forty years ago (who does?) but the energy is there for all to see and their unwavering belief in what they play is still there. Never throughout the set do you get the impression that they are going through the motions and they are still in love with Rock and Roll.
We get the super cool ‘Gene & Eddie’ followed by ‘Cry Baby’ and of course Setzer is going to show us he can still find his way around his guitar as a man possessed. Don’t forget Stray Cats is all about the unit and not just a vehicle for one guy as Lee Rocker takes the mic and sings ‘When Nothings Going Right’ as he drags that big assed salamander stick around the Hammersmith stage. ‘(She’s) Sexy And 17’ gives Lee some respite before he’s back on lead vocals for the excellent ‘Bring It Back Again’. The set list is everything a fan would want and some and sometimes it’s easy to forget how many great tunes the band has and it’s not just about the three or four that hit the charts hard in the 80’s as ‘Blast Off’, ‘Fishnet Stockings’ will back me up.
‘Rock This Town’ brings the curtain down on the main set as the band retreat from the stage to howls from a really appreciative audience who’ve spent the last seventy-five minutes being entertained by one of the greats. After a quick change of shirts, the band are practically sprinting to get back on stage to wrap up a wonderful and entertaining night ‘Rock It Off’, ‘Built For Speed’ are rattled out as slim jim Phantom is still patrolling his kit like a jack in a box standing on his bass drum to look out over the audience saluting back as ‘Rumble In Brighton’ brings proceedings to an end. I have no idea if this is the last time we’ll get to see this most awesome of rock and roll bands and if it is then they signed off on a real high and kicked The world famous Odeons back side a final time. Setzer- Rocker- Phantom. The Stray Cats strut out of the building in fine style having done what they do best ‘Rock This Town’.n.
Expectations sometimes provide shocks to the system when things prove to be quite different that what you expected. The Poison Boys have released some previous singles/ EPs and material, which I have loved, and I went into this debut album expecting the album to be a more straight forward up tempo punk n roll album. While it is definitely a punk n roll album at its core, these 12 diverse songs make up an album that is diverse, deep, accessible, and a whole lot of fun. I have been following the Poison Boys for a few years now, and I could not be happier with what they have done here. I can imagine everyone from Chuck Berry to Johnny Thunders wanting a chance to come back and guest on this one.
The title track gets the party started and hits my original expectations as it comes on like a cross between the Humpers and Electric Frankenstein. The mix allows the guitar riffs by Matt Dudzik to pop out of the speakers and the bass (mostly Adam Sheets) and drums (mostly Matt Chaney) hit just as hard. ‘Slow Down’ starts with some brief piano notes before everyone else gets in on the action. The riff in the song feels pretty standard, but the song really connects perfectly. I actually thought about old artists like the Big Bopper here as well as someone like the J. Geils Band as this song compels the listener to smile and enjoy the moment. I can picture the glasses in the air as the crowd sings along to the main hook. Another stone cold rock n roll style classic follows in ‘Cut Right Out.’ If anyone out there remembers the likes of Junk Records, this one would have fit like a glove on their roster with those backing ‘wooohs’ settling nicely in the mix. The beat here carries a great groove, guaranteed to get the hips shaking.
Starting on track four with ‘Empty Heart,’ we start to see the band really expanding the songs. The thundering groove of this epic five minute plus song initially may feel a little long, but this one has proven to be a grower with Dudzik’s charismatic vocals being stretched and pulled on the journey. ‘Downtown’ returns to a fairly basic trash rock standard approach with a simple hook that hits the spot. It feels a bit like the Stones jamming with Hanoi Rocks, especially the way some of the guitar pops in the mix where it gets some extra space. I also love the false ending but perhaps I should not give that away. Wrapping up the first half of the album, ‘Up to the Sky’ opens with some acoustic guitar reminding me of Johnny Thunders before the song kicks in at a midtempo pace on this fellow five minute rocker. The acoustic guitar touches really give this album a wonderful depth. Dudzik’s vocals on the chorus really inspire a singalong, even if you are like me and can’t sing a note.
Flip the record over and the good times show no let up with first single/ video ‘Tear Me Apart’ getting it started at breakneck speed. The vocals really take a backseat here with the verses featuring fewer words, and the electrifying guitar riffs pushed to the surface. The hook in the chorus is sharp, but it is the guitar that has stayed with me the most on this one so far. The piano that is featured here and across other songs will hopefully be replicated in the live setting. ‘Desperado’ features some awesome saxophone and again reminds me of early Hanoi Rocks, right down to Dudzik’s vocals, the tasteful backing vocals, and the way the chorus is constructed. This has been one of my early favorites from the record. Hopefully, the band will get an opportunity to make this a single at some point. Slowing the pace down a bit, ‘True Romance’ simmers along nicely with the groove getting under the skin. The backing ‘woooh’s’ are used again here to awesome effect. When the main chorus hits, it really opens up the whole song with the switch in the dynamics.
‘I Won’t Look Back’ turns the tempo back towards rocket speed with the guitar licks again deserving to be highlighted, but the song itself has been the slowest to connect with me. The band hit trash rock nirvana again with the rollicking ‘Say Goodbye’ reminding me again of the Humpers with the rhythm section nailing this one. Closing song ‘Been Here All Night’ truly feels like it had to be the closer on the album and ends the record on an incredible high. The song shimmies and shakes on the beat with the guitar riffs begging to be played by the listener. Something tells me the guys worked long and hard on this one but knew exactly where it needed to be on the album. It just feels like a celebration musically.
The Poison Boys showcase that there is plenty of magic left in rock n roll over the course of these 12 songs. There has clearly been a ton of heart, sweat, and love used to create this album as these songs drip with the genuine distilled spirits of everything that makes rock n roll amazing. Are the vocals always spotless? Do the instruments hit every note perfectly? Absolutely NOT! This is pure, primal rock n roll the way nature intended. A great summer for music became even better with this album. Recommended? You should have it put it on order when you started reading my introduction.
FUCK IT!!!!!!! My neighbours have just decided to start hacking the render off the outside of their house using a jackhammer, so I think the only sane and rational thing for me to do is crank the all new double live LP from Swedish Heavy Metallers Bullet up to 11 and give them some payback.
It’s actually been 9 years since I first encountered the live tour de force that is Bullet blowing headliners Hardcore Superstar into outer space with a brand of Heavy Metal very much steeped in the tradition of bands like Saxon, Krokus and perhaps most closely Accept. Bullet are a band who play balls to the wall Metal complete with flying V guitars, studded wrist gauntlets, and stretch black jeans so tight they split on stage, something that did actually happen to guitarist Hampus Klang (and what a name for a six-string slinger that is) the night I saw them.
Recorded across three shows on the band’s 2017 Storm of Blades tour and their 2018 Dust To Gold tour the eighteen tracks contained here capture the ferocity and energy of Bullet live whilst retaining a clarity that is often lost with a lot of modern Metal bands. Granted vocalist Hell Hofer has one of those Marmite voices that is part Udo Storace and part Davros but anthemic tunes such as ‘Riding High’, ‘Speed And Attack’, the extended ‘Highway Love’ and set closer ‘Bite The Bullet’ transcend any vocal elitism you might still be harbouring and will soon have you chanting along with your fist pumping high in the air.
Remember the halcyon days when live albums were “must buys” and contained all killer and no filler? Well, Bullet has managed to capture the soul of ‘Live and Dangerous’, the intensity of ‘If You Want Blood’ and the solidarity of ‘The Eagle Has Landed’ to deliver possibly the best live Metal album you will hear anywhere this year. In fact, it’s so live that I can almost smell the dry ice and feel the heat of the pyro as the band explode into opener ‘Storm Of Blades’.
The PR blurb that accompanies ‘Live’ has Klang proudly declaring that the double live album contains eighteen all original songs and no covers (and so he should), what he also should have said is each and every one of these tunes is guaranteed to give the listener headbangers neck, such is the infectious nature of this feelgood record….oh and there’s no fucking ballads either.
Released on July 5th as a 2 CD digipak and gatefold 180gms double LP pressed on black vinyl that also contains a poster and the 2 CDs in paper sleeves, it sounds to me like the latter is the one all true Bulletheads will be looking out for.
So ‘Turn It Up Loud’ brothers and sisters, because Bullet ‘Live’ officially drowns out jackhammers and I am the living proof to that fact.
When I first saw this I must admit to being slightly skeptical off the back off the last studio album maybe they were heading into the quick cash in and bash out an acoustic album of classic Skids. Well, happy to report I was wrong there. Whilst it is indeed an acoustic Skids record it gives the impression of being well thought out and lovingly put together from the lush string synth or real strings it matters not because hearing a lush ‘Into the Valley’ is a beautiful thing. they slow it right down to a funeral march tempo and throw in everything from the strings to the percussion and plentiful backing vocals ‘Into The Valley’ never sounded so good and Jobson’s voice sounds weathered and emotional.
Don’t stop there folks because over the next ten songs this record soars high and to be fair is a majestic thing from the hand claps and drums of ‘World On Fire’ this record is already ablaze and whilst the synths are cheating if you’re calling it an acoustic album but when you drop the needle and crack open that stone cold beer you’ll get the picture when you sink back into a comfy chair and let this wash over you.
Dipping into their last studio album ‘Burning Cities’ for ‘Kings Of the New World Order’ it’s always tough when you try to pitch new with old especially when the old are classics like ‘Into The Valley’ and the piano-driven ‘Saints Are Coming’ with a spectacular arrangement to be fair and again Jobson seems to have found his niche vocally.
‘Days In Europa’ is represented by a Crosby, Stills and Nash vibe on ‘Animation’. ‘Hurry On Boys’ from ‘The Absolute Game’ begins a little bit piraty for my liking and ‘Blood And Soil’ from ‘Joy’ is also reworked into something of an epic and sounds regal on its chorus. I think that’s it, every Skids album represented with ‘Joy’ also lending ‘Fields’ to proceedings. We’ve also got a brand new track added to proceedings in the shape of ‘Kreuzberg 79‘ but its the finale of ‘Desert Dust’ again from the last studio album that leaves you like a good friend leaving with a reassuring hand to the shoulder. the Skids have turned in a fantastic record. Sure Acoustic albums have seen their fifteen minutes when MTV was a thing but every now and again one comes along and hits you for six and this boundary is courtesy of The Skids. Check it out that’s my advice although I’d have loved to have heard them take on ‘Yankee Dollar’ but I guess you can’t please everybody all the time and this will most certainly do. Good effort.
With just four weeks to go to our annual trip to Rebellion Festival at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool we thought it was high time we gave you a flavour of what RPM would be doing over the four days that make up the absolute jewel in the crown of the UK summer festival season. Johnny H kicks things off with his look at the opening day and a line up that combines the old with the new in one huge celebration of everything great about punk rock music.
The opening day at Rebellion was always about meeting up with old mates to share a pint or two, then making some new ones in the process, it was about rummaging through the market to find long sought after gems, popping into the Punk Art Exhibition to see what twisted genius my old mate Colin Creamcrop Scott had been up to, and then perhaps maybe catch the odd band in the middle of all of this.
I’m telling you this so you understand the seismic shift I’ve seen in the last ten years of going to Rebellion. Thursday was kind of like the appetiser, or a quiet introduction if you will, for what effectively was about to follow over the next three day. Now I look at the bill and I wonder how the hell am I going to do any of the above as its just so jam packed full of great bands right from the off that I’m seriously thinking that next year I’m going to have to go up on the Wednesday as that now appears to be the new Thursday!
Anyway, this year thanks to the train taking the strain once again RPM should be on site just in time to catch Millie Manders & The Shutup and/or The Kingcrows. I say and/or because right from the start we have a band clash, something that undoubtably will see me going one way and our Editor In Chief Dom Daley going the other more than once over the course of the weekend.
Regrettably, our eta means we will have already missed System of Hate and The Murderburgers in Club Casbah and our Brazilian pal from last year Supla performing an exclusive acoustic set, but it doesn’t mean you have to too. In fact, go check them all out as from doors open this year this promises to be one hell of an action-packed weekend.
Back for the 5th year running (by my reckoning anyway) I would bet my Kiss Me Quick hat that Rebellion 2019 is going to be all about The Bar Stool Preachers. The Brighton based ska punks very much on the rise right now and promising to preview tracks from their soon to be recorded 3rd album their 5:15 slot (5:15 geddit?) on the Empress Ballroom stage plus headlining the Almost Acoustic stage later in day are going down on my laminated colour coded band planner as must see performances.
Again I’m not exactly sure where there will be time to anything else other than watch bands after this though as in quick succession we have Pears in the Empress, (our old Slugfest mates) The Blunders in the Arena, cricketing nutters Geoffrey Oicott in the Pavilion, with TV Smith and Slice Of Life both in the Opera House all playing within a two hour window. I can’t of course watch whole performance but I’ll try my best to catch at least some of each.
One band I really do not want to miss this year are Birkenhead’s Queen Zee who will be bringing their Eno goes grunge influenced glam rock stylings to the Empress Ballroom for an 8:30 slot promising to take us on a much welcome trip into the unknown ahead of the hardcore onslaught that is to follow. I was at their recent sold out Newport Le Pub gig but had to leave early when it overran and was truly gutted to miss them, and right now they seem to be everywhere, Download, Glastonbury and thankfully for me Rebellion. Queen Zee may be a bit mainstream for some tastes but they certainly a hell of a lot less pop than Masked Intruder who they follow in the ballroom, I just hope I don’t turn out to be a ‘Loner’ in such huge surroundings.
With Dom no doubt fluffing his mullet to Dave Sharp over at the Almost Acoustic stage and Flipper and The Descendents playing in the Empress plus D.I, Poison Idea and Fear all playing over in Club Casbah you’ll forgive me for thinking that I’ve just somehow quantum leapt back into the early ‘80s (I know there’s a Blackpool gag in there folks but I’ll let you make up your own punchline).
Fear playing their first ever UK show will surely be a must-see for many but for me it’s the lure of Poison Idea that will see me making the short dash from The Bar Stool Preachers in Almost Acoustic to Club Casbah for what might very well be their last ever UK show. ‘Plastic Bomb’ anyone? Fuck yeah!
With everything I’ve covered already I’ve rather shamefully not even touched on the new bands all playing on the Introducing Stage on the opening day, but from London ska punks Lead Shot Hazard through to The Outlines from Nottingham the Jonny Wah Wah curated stage promises a packed house and a total of 51 bands across the weekend coming from all across the world to play Rebellion, and who knows one of two familiar faces to RPM might just creep out on stage along the way too.
Right that’s me knackered and I’ve only just written about day one not lived it, time for some shut eye back at the B&B then I’ll up bright and early for some Bingo with Max Splodge before the not to be missed Rat Boy Magic Show, and we are well and truly into Friday.
Want to join us on our Rebellion escapades? You can buy tickets for Rebellion here.
Recent Comments