Despite last minute prep to travel across China, maybe I’ll catch some new music, maybe not, I opened up my email from RPM and paused to give this a listen before going. I’d never heard Damien Jurado before, never even read any background but what drifted out of the speakers made me scurry around the interweb, to do a little bit of background.
Now everything I’m reading tells me that Damien Jurado is a bit of a quick worker, but if the blurb is right In the Shape of a Storm came together with unprecedented speed. I mean recorded over the course of two hours one California afternoon? Guns and Roses it most definitely isn’t.
There’s a haunting fragility to the vocals backed with only acoustic guitar, both sparse and atmospheric in equal doses. Reading backwards I’m hearing about a trilogy of concept albums, heavily psychedelic and researching back further I’m hearing links to Sub Pop!!!! In fact there were four LP’s released on Sub Pop Waters Ave s. in 1997 followed by Rehearsals for departure produced by Ken Stringfellow (the Posies/Big Star/REM), then onwards to Ghost of David (2000) and I break Chairs (2002). This is another artist I need to take some time out and back track through a huge back catalogue and Sub Pop seems to be the place to start
If I had to categorise this I would definitely link towards Folk, but its not quite, it reminds me a little bit of Tom Baxter, the guitar work is a little bit more than something being strummed in accompaniment to whatever protest song is being espoused, the vocals weave around the accompaniment, ebbing and flowing painting a journey within each song.
This is often quite dark stuff, thought provoking and with a real edge but washes over you giving you time to drift with the music.
Stand out tracks for me opener “Lincoln” grabs your attention as does “South” possibly my favourite on the LP, closely followed by “Silver Ball” but the reality is this is a really powerful set of tunes and I think the crossover genre potential for this LP are huge.
I would love to catch this set in the live setting, in the right venue without the arseholes who turn up to gigs to talk I can imagine hearing the proverbial pin drop.
Electric Bloom is the new solo album from Cromm Fallon. Joined by his band the P200, Fallon is kicking up a rock ‘n’ roll storm in the heart of Las Vegas. The album is set for release on 17 May on Rum Bar Records.
The album starts off with the Britpop-esque twang of ‘Second Bloom’, which is quickly complemented by Fallon’s unmistakably American drawl. It’s a catchy, poppy number and a good strong opener for an album that traverses various interrelated styles – it is followed by the garage-strong ‘East Bay’.
While it’s certainly a varied album, garage is the overriding vibe throughout and is offered up with asserted confidence by Fallon’s casually delivered snarl. Tracks such as ‘East Bay’, and the leading single from the album, ‘Scars from You’, present the familiar tones of that low-slung classic American garage sound, reminiscent of some Iggy Pop, maybe with touches of Velvet Underground which regularly pop up throughout the record.
Other songs are almost grungy, such as ‘No Sleep’, whereas ‘Out of Control’ hints at The Kinks or even The Kingsmen in style. The fresh and vibrant spontaneity of the album is refreshing, and it’s exciting to jump from one burst of energy to the other, easily turning something Brit-pop in to something garage. It’s a straddling of genres that easily complement each other, and which is done with a faithfulness and love of vintage sounds. Just note the way that new single ‘The Next One’ (feat. Darenda Weaver) rushes effortlessly from one highlight to the next in well under 2 minutes. It’s a high energy assault, and a perfect choice for a single.
‘Electric Change’ is somewhat dreamy, building in a heaviness that makes it sound like a punked up Suede. This continues with one of the finest songs on the album – ‘Circles’. The ballad ‘Death Room’ continues the slide into melancholy before the hypnotic ‘Hired Suicide’ finishes the album in suitably chaotic style.
Electric Bloom is a delight from start to finish, and the switching seemingly between euphoria and madness ensures that the albums never lulls. It’s a fine opening album from the Nevada rock ‘n’ roller, and surely a sign of greater things to come.
It’s been 10 long years since The Wildhearts released their last album ‘Chutzpah!’ If there was any justice in the world it would’ve been a massive hit album for them, and Ginger would have the recognition he deserves as one of the UK’s most prolific and constantly creative songwriters.
But lady luck has never shone down on The Wildhearts, she just threw shit in their general direction. Drugs & alcohol, in-band fights and shitty record labels got in the way. Even though they scraped the top 20 and featured on TOTP multiple times, sadly it was never meant to be. It would seem that sometimes, even the greatest bands are destined to never make it.
But the Wildhearts have a legacy, a fucking great musical legacy that will never be erased whatever the future holds. While they disbanded after ‘Chutzpah!’ (for the umpteenth time), there have been sporadic reunion gigs and anniversary tours. And with original bassist Danny McCormack back where he rightfully belongs, the classic line-up of The Wildhearts entered the studio to record the album many fans thought they would never get to hear.
It seems you can’t keep a good band down, and The Wildhearts are back in your face, fighting fit and stronger than ever before.
The metallic riff to ‘Dislocated’ blasts open the album like ‘Live Wire’ opened ‘Too Fast For Love’. Did I just reference Motley Crue in a Wildhearts album review? Yes, I did! But that’s where the resemblance ends, as ‘Dislocated’ goes off on a musical tangent to itself, as The Wildhearts are well known to do. Tackling mental health and alienation, the lyrics are spat with the vitriolic, reckless abandon of a man literally teetering on the edge of sanity.
Fuck me, that chorus! It builds and builds and keeps on giving. Then there’s the welcome return of Danny’s unmistakable bass rumble, as much a part of The Wildhearts sound as anthemic choruses and crunchy guitars. ‘Dislocated’ is a song for the outcasts in an age where Ginger’s lyrics are more relevant than ever.
Next, we are straight into ‘Let ‘em Go’. Classic, anthemic Wildhearts at their finest. A football terraced style anthem with an uplifting chorus you will be singing on first listen, and long after the needle has lifted. “Let ‘em go, let the shit-filled rivers flow” the whole band chant, as you wonder how you have survived for so long without this melody in your head. A future live favourite for sure. No one does it better…no one.
The following title track is a weird one, not sure about this yet. The almost tribal beats and backing chants bring to mind the film ‘Madagascar’ for some reason. With a cool riff and a great euphoric chorus, it’s a song about the band being back in your face, and hopefully, they are here to stay.
‘Fine Art Of Deception’ is a song I first heard Ginger and CJ play acoustic at The Fulford Arms in York last year. This is a tune that could have been lifted from the ‘555%’ sessions, I feel. The “bullshit” refrain stands out as pure Wildhearts fodder though and harks back to their early days.
‘Diagnosis’ builds on an AC/DC style riff before morphing into classic Wildhearts crunchy goodness. Air guitar and goosebumps (see Pilo Erection below) come hand in hand as Ginger and CJ’s vocal harmonies intertwine to create the magic we love and crave from The Wildhearts. It builds to a euphoric, killer chorus set to be a mainstay at hot and sweaty future gigs.
‘My Kinda Movie’ will kick off side two (if you are listening on cassette or vinyl). It comes on like a classic Wildhearts B side, and we all know how good those are, right? A metallic, staccato riff makes way for intense, urgent drums from probably the most underrated drummer in rock music, Ritch Battersby. Chugging, dampened guitars match the rhythm of the verse that makes way for a gang vocal chorus, a wild as fuck wah-wah solo and a section that goes up the musical scale again and again. Holy shit, that’s a workout!
‘Little Flower’ is again, a song I heard previewed acoustic last year and one of the most instant songs on the album. CJ penned I believe, it certainly has his knack of pop sensibilities stamped all over it. A hook as catchy as anything out there, it will bury deep into the subconscious on first listen and threaten never to leave, job done.
That signature Wildhearts dampened, crunchy regimental riffage introduces ‘Emergency (Fentanyl Babylon)’. The subject matter is pretty self-explanatory, here Ginger even name-checks Tom Petty and Prince before laying waste with a brutal chorus that will incite the listener to shout the “emergency” refrain and bang their heads until the beats abruptly cease. Glorious in all the right places.
‘My Side Of The Bed’ is disjointed riff-o-rama in god knows what time signature, with sublime vocal harmonies that suck you in on first listen. There is so much going on in this crazy song it’s hard to describe, but imagine Cheap Trick jamming with Primus for starters. So much love for this tune already.
The “one-two-fuck you” count in signals the closing track ‘Pilo Erection’. Crunch, bang, wallop! We are up and running for the final time as the band get a full-on workout, riff after riff and chanting gang vocals aplenty, a powerhouse performance especially from Ritch as his skills are tested to the max.
If you are wondering what Pilo Erection means, Google the fucker like I did! Let’s just say The Wildhearts give me a Pilo Erection everytime and you can quote me on that.
The arrival of a new Wildhearts album has always been an event. Call me biased, but it makes me realise that most other bands pale in comparison and it has been so long that I nearly forgot that!
I was expecting this album to be a cross between ‘Earth Vs’ and ‘Chutzpah!’, yet surprisingly it sounds like neither, in fact, it sounds like no other Wildhearts album that has come before it.
Like ‘Fishing For Luckies’ and the self-titled ‘White Album ‘, ‘Renaissance Men’ takes multiple listens to sink in and every time I listen, something new jumps out. My favourite track is changing on a daily basis and even though it’s early days, I can’t imagine I will hear anything better this year.
Hopefully, this is as much a resurgence as a renaissance and we can expect more from this band in the near future. But for now, bask in the glory that is the new Wildhearts album and come back in 6 months when it’s all sunk in and tell me how great it is.
Mullets, high-waisted jeans and short, sharp noise injections. Yeah, Aussie pub rock punks Amyl And The Sniffers are as retro as a pint of Snakebite, a whiff of Old Spice and a mouthful of Space Dust. And we at RPM Online loves ‘em… L-U-V. Their soon to be released debut long player is high on the ‘one to watch out for’ list, and the chance to catch them at one of their first UK headline shows was not an event we were going to pass up.
Yet, I was a bit apprehensive coming along to The Brudenell tonight. The last time I saw a show in the smaller Community Room here was He Who Cannot Be Named. About 20 people and a dog turned up to see that punk rock legend, so what chance do these unknown upstarts from down under have?
Well, someone informed the Leeds punk massive on this wet and rainy Wednesday, as by the time Amyl And The Sniffers saunter on stage to large cheers, the place is rammed.
With a quick greeting from diminutive and smiley frontwoman Amy Taylor, the band literally launch into ‘Mole (Sniff Sniff)’. Dressed in a tight red tracksuit top and high-waisted jeans, she jumps into the crowd and all hell breaks loose for the next 40 minutes.
There are a few actual skinheads down the front tonight, full on DM’s and braces brigade and any thoughts older members of the audience may have had about quietly snapping away at the front are quickly dispersed for fear of gaining more bruises than photos. A circle quickly forms front centre as skins, punks and rockers launch at each other, having the time of their lives, while us bemused punters try to avoid their flailing limbs and stay on our feet. And that’s just the first one minute and 30 seconds!
The uber cool ‘Westgate’ follows. A rumbling bass and jagged guitar riff bursts from the PA as Amy struts the stage and eyes the audience with a deathly stare, coming on like the bastard child of Wendy O Williams and Debbie Harry. She holds her microphone tight, as if an invisible man is trying to wrestle it from her grasp, as she barks the words to a stunned audience. To her side guitarist Dec and bassist Calum deliver the riffs and rumble, while behind them Bryce keeps the back beat.
Holy shit! This band is good, jaw-droppingly good. I would go so far as to say their recorded output does not do them justice live. If they manage to bottle this energy for their debut album then they surely have the world at their feet.
Between songs the live-wired singer is like a different character, with a proper loveable Aussie girl next door charm. “Someone told me you guys hate Manchester, why?” she asks prior to ‘70’s Street Munchies’. The whole band look bemused at the “Yorkshire” chants they get in reply, before launching into a high energy version that sees the singer headbanging like a loon for the entire song. As she arches her back, microphone in the air Iggy style, and snarls “…and I’m wearing my favourite sweataahh!” it feels like we are witnessing an iconic moment in music history.
I spy a girl down the front, a tinnie in her hand, shaking and pogo-ing on the spot round and round, the can frothing over, lost in her own world, as a couple of skinheads bound back and forth in front of her, this is how a punk rock show should go down ladies and gents.
‘I’m Not A Loser’ is probably their greatest song, a proper anthem. Yet the following
‘Balaclava Lover Boogie’ has full blown shake appeal. It brings the energy of prime Stooges to the fore. Powerful and intense as it builds on that riff and when it kicks back in again after the first verse it reaches another plane entirely, sublime stuff indeed.
They end a high energy set with the recent 7 incher ‘Some Mutts Can’t Be Muzzled’. With its “do you remember me” refrain, it’s part Ramones part Wendy O Williams and all killer no filler for sure.
Opening with a “sniff sniff” and climaxing with a “woof woof”, Amyl And The Sniffers delivered the goods and left us wanting more. They came, they saw and they conquered The Brudenell in 45 minutes, no encores, no fucking about…job done. Shit, it’s only 10pm! What the hell do we do now?
Tonight was one of those shows where I felt like I was witnessing the start of something great. One thing’s for certain, I will go out of my way to catch this band when they return to our shores, and I highly recommend that you do the same.
So they’re talking again after a hiatus of well over a decade – wait, its almost two decades (doesn’t time fly?) they played together again in 2016 and now this, possibly their finest hour? Sure it’s still got all the off the wall guitar riffing it always had as Neil Hagerty’s Keith ‘The Human Riff’ Richards fixation is still very much intact and at the forefront (and so it should be) but there is something different here the songs are more fluid and cohesive. Like proper songs even.
The album kicks off with the title track that has a steady beat some slide some weird time changes then a cool as fuck vocal with a real stomping melody. “That White Stuff, This is the way it’s supposed to be” fuckin’ right it is. Come along they beckon and like the pied piper tooting before me and before I know it I’m reeled in and following along. But can they keep it up for a whole album have they still got their mojo?
To be fair and give credit where it’s due ‘Year Of The Dog’ is a decent second song. So its got a lot going on in the background (and the foreground) its got that Primal Scream kinda groove and away we go. ‘Purple Audacity #2’ sees things get a shakeup as Jennifer Herrema takes the microphone and walks us through the sleazy backwaters of backward guitar trickery for what is a bit of a comedown track. ‘Suburban Junky Lady’ sort of follows on with a duet of sorts as the sound takes a trip but its not a bad trip it kinda makes plenty of sense, a perfect sibling rivalry of sorts as they throw as many ideas at a wall and see what sticks (probably hoping it all sticks and they can record some white noise) I’m sure it’s not quite like that and I hope I’m not being too disingenuous or disrespectful there but I’m sure they love to deconstruct a rock and roll song and fuck it right up before handing it over to the listener. Take ‘Shoes And Tags’ it’s like Bowie in his mid 80’s loud guitar experimental stage but it’s not as sophisticated and you can’t help but feel there is gaffa tape holding this together in more than one place.
‘Get Used To This’ has early old school breakbeats and Kool Keith rapping about pizza it might not be wild rock n roll but its all part of the rich tapestry that Royal Trux paint and maybe they’re fucking with each other as much as the listener as a weird tension feels like its restrained under the surface and you know what we kinda like it like that and so does the dynamic duo.
The album was recorded via file swapping over the internet which might have influenced it in parts and I’m left wondering if I’ve just heard a band knock out a great tune or two people loving being difficult and trying to do my head in. Either way, I think I like it and there are songs I can’t stop playing and as soon as they finish I want to play them again ‘Sic Em Slow’ sounds like something Prince would record endlessly through the night whilst high on prescription pills its a real headfuck of a tune but it has charm and your drawn to it. Much like ‘Every Day Swan’. But they saved the best til last because ‘Under Ice’ is a classic makes you want to throw a party and get everyone round a drum filled with wood burning nicely whilst you all wave round beers singing along don’t worry about keeping time or being in tune or if your timing is a little haywire because that’s just it. Royal Trux are a little haywire and thank God they still are.
If every band just wrote intro – verse – chorus – verse – chorus – solo – verse – fade music might get stale. We need bands to push the envelope and fuck with us and twist our melons whilst wrapping barbed wire around their electric guitars before smashing them to pieces it all makes perfect sense when you get it much like their brothers and sisters in arms the Cramps or Jon Spenser long live Royal Trux and may their email tag songwriting partnership flourish and blossom. I really like ‘White Stuff’ even if I don’t wonder what the other eighteen wonders of the world might be.
There’s some great loud rock’n’roll out there at the moment and I recently discovered another awesome band going by the name Sputnik Monroes. This four-piece featuring William on vocals and bass, Abbe Sörenson on vocals and guitar, Jonathan Stenqvist on Guitar and drummer Joel Moberg hail from Gothenburg and have been playing their brand of action rock n fuckin’ roll since 2017. With plenty of energy and a classic rock band set up of twin guitars bass and drums, they take their craft pretty serious. Whilst they boast of their high energy live shows this debut long player proves they aren’t too shabby in the studio either.
The first track on this is entitled ‘Free Ride’ and get things off to a great start with a great guitar riff, crashing drums and driving bass everything they claimed they would achieve in the live arena has been delivered in the studio.
They follow that up next with ‘Lazy Sundays’ and there is nothing lazy about this track with more loud guitar and a great vocal.
‘Turn it up’ starts with a melodic riff and is an instant earworm which keeps the quality high. whilst ‘No time to lose’ and ‘Illusionary State’ finish off this ep and are two outstanding tracks on a very impressive EP. If your having a crisis of loud rock’n’roll this will re-engage you with your mojo and being either a long EP or short album leaves the listener wanting more. Which is a great place to be.
Overall this is a great EP that any fan of loud high energy rock music will love.
Hailing from The Netherlands the Heck ply a trade of Foot stomping garage punk rock where the amps are turned up to 10 and the band plays like it’s the last night on earth and you’re either with them or against them, either way, they’re using that energy to kick out the fuckin’ jams.
They waste no time at all in setting the tone as ‘Waiting In Line’ tears it up with its moon the loon drum style and reckless guitar thrashing but to follow it up with a far more measured and restrained ‘Nothing Will Do’ with its solid groove and cool guitar lick that wraps itself around the rhythm and strolls off with a real swagger about itself I think The Heck know they’re onto something and you can either join them or get out of the way because they’ll steamroller you as they ain’t stopping.
Sure the band delve back and soak up the 60’s and all it offered musically and the use of authentic shimmering guitars and Farfisa on ‘I Won’t Change’ really works and you just have to love the guitar noodling to take this sucker home.
Argh I just knew there was going to be one I had a feeling but to be fair my pet hate the instrumental rears its (not So) ugly head on ‘Panic Attack’ then they follow up with an altogether funkier beast that is ‘Turn Me Loose’. You might be asking me to answer why would I describe them as reckless garage punks with their amps on 10 when they are getting funky and using organs, Well, let me put it to you that no bands can pound away for 40 minutes and not let a little light and shade into their record to keep things fresh and heck the Heck are no different. sure its Garage punk rock n roll with a little Fuzztones and Sonics thrown in where need be but there’s a lot more going on under the hood as they say. Take ‘You Call It Love’ with its rumbling bassline it soon gets its skates on for the verse and chorus I’m sure this would be awesome loud n live.
It’s a really solid album as it ebbs and flows they shift through the gears really well and whatever pace the song is at they seem really comfortable with the shift and the songs have substance as well as style and it’s a strong finish with ‘Cold As Ice’ being one of the better songs and ‘Do You Love Me?’ is possibly my favourite song on the whole record I love the vocals its soppy 60’s pop with a bit of a rough edge and sounds great.
Dirty Water has always had an ear for a great band and in 2019 it’s still the case as I’m sure The Heck will quickly get a reputation and decent following. Get on it garage folk its good and you won’t be dissapointed
Lock the church doors Everyone’s favourite Black Metal band are back with a bruising tune. Accept no substitute Venom are in the house and Cronos has a simple request – ‘Bring Out Your Dead’ and make it snappy here just for you lot is the brand new video hot off the press
You can watch the video here which also coincides with the band announcing a special double picture disc version of the album which is out on 19th April.
LATEST STUDIO ALBUM, ‘STORM THE GATES’, OUT NOW VIA SPINEFARM RECORDS
NEW DOUBLE PIC DISC PRESSING AVAILABLE FROM APRIL 19th
Venom, the unholy trinity of Cronos, Rage and Dante, closed 2018 with new studio album, STORM THE GATES, released on CD / digital in December, with the double coloured vinyl LP format following in January of this year…
A classic call-to-arms, STORM THE GATES is a record from a legendary band who can legitimately be classed as both ‘original’ and ‘genre-defining’.
Now Venom have shared a lyric video for latest single ‘Bring Out Your Dead’, an anthem for blasphemers, fornicators and the forever cursed. Produced by the mighty Cronos himself, this is the raw sound of a band who don’t need tricks of technology to make their point. Watch now –
Ever wonder what the guy from Mahogany Rush went on to do after appearing on ‘Axe Attack’? Nothing to do with this review but I was just wondering. Anyways, So, the guy from the Connections has gone and gotten himself a solo deal and hooked up with some of the finest record labels anywhere not just the good old US of A and he’s put out a long player entitled ‘Extra Credit’ with Kris Rodgers lending a hand.
So what’s he gonna do outside his day job seeing as he’s the guitarist, voice and songwriter in The Connections. Well, that’s open to debate but unless he’s got a hidden penchant for writing disco tunes or jazz prog its gonna be just a variation on those power popping hooks and rockin’ and rollin’ tunes were used to and once the needle drops (or the laser kicks in) you get to hear just what a talent this guy is. Not content with the gift of penning hook after hook or catchy melody after awesome harmony he manages pretty much everything on this apart from getting in fellow Rum Bar recording artist Kris Rodgers to layer in some piano and keys as well as pipe up with some vocal on a couple of tracks.
So let’s get into this bad boy. ‘Broken Clocks’ is an uptempo rocka and has some lush BV’s and that ragged rock n roll guitar riff that almost clean but just a little rough as it reels you in and before you know it your foot is tapping and nobody gives a shit that the solo is straight out of the Chuck Berry school of guitar licks 101 man this already makes me feel good and the first track hasn’t even finished yet.
Get a load of that barroom rock n roll on ‘No One Else Tried It’ its unoriginal for sure but man these cats just nail it from the twelve-bar to the ivory-tinkling to the bridge and gang vocals to the battle between the guitar and that keyboard on the solo its just timeless.
If the melodies and classy arrangments aren’t enough Brad has only gone and penned a track with Kurt Baker. Obviously ‘Wake Up Baby’ is brilliant power pop how could it not be? I could go through each song heaping on the same superlatives but you should know the drill by now and the songs are so well crafted from the rapid riff of ‘From The Start’ to the new wave Attractions-esque of ‘Broken Record’ this record reminds me of The Speedways and their brilliant melodies well this could easily be a long lost overseas relative easily. I also have to remind myself here that this record is almost truly a solo record as Brad plays everything bar the keys and organ as he leaves the tin the capable hands of Kris Rodgers. Talent like this is a rare beauty, oh and he produced it too with Kris (makes you sick doesn’t it?)
To be fair it makes perfect sense and a nice tip of the hat to include ‘Bye Bye Johnny’ seeing as it clearly inspired the guitar solos throughout this record and I tell myself if you have to borrow something why not borrow from the best so hats off all round and cheers for the tunes Chuck and Brad for this excellent feel-good record I have in my hands now where are my shades?
Wow, April managed to take plenty of Rock and Roll royalty over the years and this week sees the anniversaries of some pretty high profile legends as well as some really controversial figures.
The 5th of April 1994 was the day a global audience of MTV news watchers gawped on in horror at the news breaking that day saying Kurt Cobain had been found dead in his garage from a shotgun wound to the head. such tragic circumstances for such a young man whilst he might have been a troubled man he did have a daughter he left behind. Prior to his death Cobain was having problems over in Europe with his drug addiction and was hospitalised. His band Nirvana were just about the biggest thing on the planet at the time as they headlined festivals and their third album had just sold millions globally it seemed from the outside that he had everything he could possibly have wanted at his feet yet inside he just couldn’t cope and couldn’t see any way out of it other than to take his own life. The twenty-five years have just flown by who knows where he’d be in today’s musical climate and he and his band will forever be frozen in time having achieved so much in a relatively short space of time his music will live on. Buy Nirvana Here
Two days after Cobain checked out the music world lost another talented soul and cool cat that was Lee Brilleaux the chain-smoking, harmonica honkin’ frontman for the most excellent Dr. Feelgood. Born Lee John Collinson on the 10th of May 1952 the South African would be brought up in West London later moving with his family to Canvey Island where he would later carve out his own little spot in music history by forming Dr. Feelgood with Wilco Johnson in 1971. He continued the band long after the departure of fellow co-founder Johnson up until his untimely death from Lymphoma in 94. Probably most famous for their debut album ‘Down By The Jetty’ that no doubt influenced many in the new wave/pub rock scene that happened in the late 70’s early 80’s and the hit single ‘Milk & Alcohol’ which was a top ten single from the ‘Practice Practice’ album. Its also true that he helped start Stiff records with a loan of £500. RIP Lee. Buy Dr Feelgood Here
On the sixth of April in ’98 lead singer of the Plasmatics the enigmatic larger than life frontwoman Wendy O Williams also took her own life with a shotgun. Williams had relative success with her punk band the Plasmatics and their brand of shock rock which was a punk rock version of the Alice Cooper show with plenty of chaos and her iconic Mohawk she also famously sang a shambolic duet with Lemmy on ‘Stand By Your Man’ and the far better ‘No Class’.
Williams hailed from New York and is most known for her work with the Plasmatics as well as her solo albums but it was the punk band where she got the most notoriety after being arrested in several states for public indecency after appearing naked and simulating masturbation on stage she then took to wearing the gaffa tape over her nipples to avoid arrest.
Anyway, after her duet with Lemmy, she got Gene Simmons to produce her ‘WOW’ solo album and got the members of kiss including Stanley to play on it. In the later part of the 80’s she reformed The Plasmatics. By the 90’s she’d had enough and retired with her partner to Connecticut where she worked with animals and shying away from any sort of public life she tried to take her own life by stabbing herself in the chest it wasn’t until the April of 98 that she went into the woods with a gun and took her own life leaving her partner a note. Her passing shook the rock and roll community with the likes of Joey Ramone making a statement as well as her old friend Lemmy. There was also a tribute concert put on at CBGB where the surviving members of The Plasmatics played a short set in her honour and even a few years ago Record Store Day reissued a record of Plasmatics tunes on a special 11″ disc back in 2014 entitled ‘Fuck n Roll’ (very original) so on the 6th of April raise a glass and play a Wendy O tune Rest In Peace Wendy O Williams ‘The Queen of Shock Rock’ Buy WoW Here
Also in April Per Yngve Ohlin died on the 8 April 1991. Committing suicide in possibly the most horrific way back in 91 Per was better known as ‘Dead’ lead throat for the Black Metal legends Mayhem. He also had a stint in Morbid and is infamously known as a pioneer in the Black Metal scene. He slit his own wrists and throat before blowing the top of his head off with a shotgun. He did leave a suicide note that ended with the words, “Excuse The Blood”! Don’t let it be said that Black Metal lacks a sense of humor no matter how dark.
Euronymous found his bandmate and before contacting the police, he allegedly went to a shop and bought a disposable camera with then photographed the body of his bandmate. Euronymous also put out there that he had made a stew with bits of Dead’s brain and had made necklaces with bits of his skull. Euronymous claimed to have given these necklaces to musicians he thought worthy, which was confirmed by several other members of the scene, like Bård ‘Faust’ Eithun, Metalion, and Morgan Håkansson. the pictures were developed in secret and kept at their record store Helvete before finding their way to the head of Warmaster Records in South America who used the picture on the cover of the Mayhem live album ‘Dawn Of The Black Hearts’ as incredible and fucked up as it sounds it was possibly the catalyst for a spiral of mayhem (no pun intended) within the scene that was already pretty fucked up but never the less made the band infamous in Heavy Metal circles and would see to it that Mayhem would be immortalized forever. Dark times indeed RIP young man. Buy Mayhem Here
Finally, we salute the passing of the Pistols Svengali the one the only Mr. Malcolm McLaren impresario, visual artist, performer, musician, clothes designer, master manipulator shop keeper. Born on 22nd of January 1946 he passed away on April the 8th 2010. At only 64 years old McLarens life was brought down by Cancer of the Abdomen Laid to rest in Higate Cemetry McLaren will be most remembered for his Rock and Roll Swindle and his master manipulation of the music world during the Sex Pistols brief time spearheading the punk movement of the late 70’s and narrating the Rock and Roll Swindle. If you don’t know his story then where have you been Let it rock became ‘Sex’ which is where he assembled the Pistols and the rest, as they say, is History.
He did manage along the way to get arrested at the Queens Jubilee, fuck up the New York Dolls and replace Thunders with Blackie Lawless!! (Go figure) Put together Bow wow wow with the then 13-year-old singer Annabella Lewin and also make Buffalo Girls go round the outside. McLaren lived life to the full and whatever he turned his hand to seemed to be extremely successful at it. With almost a decade in the rear view mirror of life, we salute McLaren and his contribution to music RiP sir. Buy Malcolm McLaren Here
Despite last minute prep to travel across China, maybe I’ll catch some new music, maybe not, I opened up my email from RPM and paused to give this a listen before going. I’d never heard Damien Jurado before, never even read any background but what drifted out of the speakers made me scurry around the interweb, to do a little bit of background.
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