Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rain rain go away come back another day.  Shit island has had enough wet stuff falling from the sky but whilst we wait for Spring how about the brand new video from The Hangmen.  Yup that’s right LA delivers from time to time and this is exceptional stuff from Smalls and the rest of the band.

 

How about a brand new video from Rich Ragany & The Digressions. The title track from the debut album gets the video treatment as the band announced as support on the Status Quo winter tour 2020.

With a brand new album hitting the streets this month what else can we do than play the brand new lead track from ‘Deathtraps ‘Stole Your Rock and Roll’.  Ladies and germs I give you ‘Let’s Fall Out Of Love’

 

RPM ONLINE March Playlist

RPM ONLINE March Playlist

OK, so we’re flying into March 2020 already? Hell, this year is roaring for sure so this month Spotify playlist is as follows.

First up we have Sick Bags and the track ‘Boys Bleed Too’ from the awesome NFT/Spaghetty Town Records EP ‘Only Thee Young Die Good’ if you love a blast of Punk Rock with plenty of Roll and a howling attitude then check it out.

Next up we have the magnificent Jeff Dahl and ‘The Violence Squad’ taken from his recent album ‘Electric Junk’.  A sparkling track from an equally sparkling album  – Worthy of any Spotify playlist.

Green Day slipped a brand new album out there as well recently and it seems to have shaken a few as to their expectations for what a “punk Band” should sound like.  Well, ‘Stab You In The Heart’ sees the band rip it up old school and what an excellent job Butch Walker did on the production front.  We love it.

Deathtraps make a noise and we love that. With a brand new album out right about now we dig into their back catalogue and bring you the awesome ‘The Death Of Rock And Roll’ taken off their second album ‘Gotta Get Some’ but you can check out the review of the new album here.

With the brand new album scheduled for release in April we got excited that a new long-player from new yorks Wyldlife was on the way so we added the last single ‘Neon Nightmare’ Can’t wait for ‘The Year Of The Snake’ to drop as I think you’ll be hearing a lot more from these boys this year.

Another band I caught up with recently is Empty Suits and their EP that blew me away,  We recently welcomed Dave Prince to the team and he delivered a review of the brand new Brian Fallon album ‘Local Honey’ so here’s the mellow tune ‘I Don’t Mind’.

Ben reviewed the new offering from Stone Temple Pilots ‘Perdida‘ so we’ve included the track ‘Miles Away’.  Also with a new album coming out soon is Dirtbox Disco so here’s a reminder of what they were all about and with Spunk Volcano now handling the vocals you can find out soon enough but we’ve heard it and you have nothing to worry about.

Having just landed the support on the Status Quo winter tour of the UK Rich Ragany & The Digressions also released a video for the title track so we’ve added it to this months playlist.

Also heading out on tour this month are The Bar Stool Preachers so why not warm up to ‘8.6 Days (All The Broken Hearts)’.

Bang Records are releasing the ‘In Heat’ album by The Fuzztones as it was intended so of course, we’re reviewing that in the coming weeks. It would be rude not to include the title track off that.  Continuing along the Garage Rock line Thee Hypnotics are treading the boards again so here’s the classic ‘Shakedown’. 

Finally, for March, we’ve got the lead track off the Biff Byford solo album ‘Me And You’.  A true legend of hard rock Biff has decided than now was the right time for a solo album.  Good luck to him we all have a bit of Biff in our hearts of that there is no doubt.  Enjoy our mixed bag kids and we hope you find something you like.

Give us a like or a follow or whatever you do on streaming services and hey buy an album and support the bands they deserve it. Thank you.

Deathtraps – ‘Stole Your Rock ‘n’ Roll’ (Spirit Of Disaster Records)

Deathtraps – ‘Stole Your Rock ‘n’ Roll’ (Spirit Of Disaster Records)

Album #3 from Newport’s finest exponents of gutter-level rock ‘n’ roll is finally here and it’s worth the wait bruthas and sistas! Deathtraps formed after a chance meeting between two ex Sick Livers and a Flyscreen at a Dwarves gig in the summer of 2016, and Veej(vocals/guitar), Matty (drums) and Fraser (vocals/bass) haven’t looked back since.

Riding on two killer albums, namely 2017’s ‘Justice For The Risca One’ and 2018’s sophomore ‘Gotta Get Some’ the scuzzy three-piece offer up their new long player ‘Stole Your Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and what a glorious slab of filthy noise it is too!

 

“Deathtraps stole your rock ‘n’ roll and they play it much better than you” they scream in the title track. “But who did they steal it from?” I hear you cry. Well, maybe they stole the beat from the lord or they sold their souls to the devil at Risca junction, but whatever happened, they sound like Turbonegro dry-humping The Hellacopters with their middle finger shoved so far up Motorhead’s ass it’ll come out bleeding, yeah they’re that good! Think Zeke, think MC5 or ‘Total 13’era Backyard Babies, think turbo-charged rock ‘n’ roll of the highest order and you’ll be getting close muthafuckers!

It starts with a brutal assault on the senses with their anti-love song ‘Let’s Fall Out Of Love’ and doesn’t let up for the following 35 minutes or so. An earful of dirty guitars, a mouthful of blood, spit & beers and catchy hooks aplenty. This is the sound of Motorhead jamming with the finest rock ‘n’ roll bands that Scandanavia has to offer.

With songs about killing, self-destruction and unfortunate oral encounters delivered at breakneck speed, ‘Stole Your Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is not for the faint-hearted. It’s for those who like their music hard, fast and loud.

The cool kids will love ‘Fuck The Cool Kids’, with its bass rumble, AC/DC riffage and high energy delivery. The punks will dig ‘Too Fast To Last’ a song that has ‘em coming on like a Welsh Hip Priests. And anyone who has ever donned a biker jacket in the name of rock ‘n’ roll will get down to any song that name-checks Runaways members and the band’s own deprived introduction to the queen of the Blackhearts herself. Yes, ‘Joan Jett’ has a chorus so simple yet effective, you’ll be humming it all week, while scouring Ebay for a copy of ‘I Hate Myself For Loving You’ on 7” vinyl. And that’s a mighty fine place to be in my book. What’s not to like here?

Top track for me has to be ‘Tastes Like Blood’. It sounds like Turbonegro ripping off The Wildhearts (again), a glorious gang vocal chorus and riffs to matchmakes this an album highlight any day of the week.

 

The thing that sets Deathtraps apart from the gazillions of trashy punk bands, is their use of melody. They have the fine art of a catchy chorus nailed. Yeah, they are raw and fast, but the sing-ability of the likes of ‘Backstabbing For Beginners’  and ‘The Devil and Me’ will keep you singing and banging the head that doesn’t bang for days.

‘Stole Your Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is a shot of adrenaline straight to the jugular. It’s a high energy, euphoric collection of songs and fucking enjoyable from start to finish, job done.

 

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Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

RPM writers top of the pops 2019 – The Live shows

RPM writers top of the pops 2019 – The Live shows

Some of the writers managed to send in their list of the top ten live shows they went to in 2019.  they attended hundreds of shows all over the place via trains, planes and automobiles.  On another day I’m sure these lists would change many times over.  RPM Online supports Rock and Roll and loves a live show and as you browse through the lists there are many genres covered as well as some familiar suspects there are many new entries this year.  We’d love to take this opportunity to thank all the bands who toured and played shows all over the UK and continue to do so, All the festivals that supported independent music from Rebellion Festivals and Camden Rocks to Steelhouse Festival in South Wales and all the festivals around Europe and wider thank you.  Continue to look after independent Rock and Roll and help it thrive and reach a wider audience if you want to get involved get in touch we always welcome fresh eyes and ears to spread the word: rpmonlinetcb@yahoo.com

 

 

Leigh Fuge 


John Mayer –  02 Arena London

Ryan Roxie –  The Asylum, Birmingham

Michael Monroe –  The Fleece, Bristol

The Cult –  University Great Hall, Cardiff

Kenny Wayne Shepherd –  City Hall, Salisbury

Kiss –  The Arena, Birmingham

Alice Cooper –  Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

Paul Gilbert –  The Fleece, Bristol

The Wildhearts  – The Tramshed, Cardiff

FM & The Quireboys  – The Globe, Cardiff

Nev Brooks 
Pulled Apart By Horses – Newport Le Pub (Reviewed Here)

Primal Scream –  Great Hall Cardiff

Alice Cooper, MC50, The Stranglers – Motorpoint Arena Cardiff

Nick Cave – Millenium Centre Cardiff

Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Bar Stool Preachers – O2 Bristol

The Hip Priests, DC Spectres, Deathtraps – Le Pub Newport

The Wildhearts, Towers Of London – SWX Bristol

Wonk Unit – Drogonfly Pontypool

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Sin City Swansea

Holy Holy – Tramshed Cardiff

 

 Gareth Hooper
Duncan Reid, Cyanide Pills, Bruno – Louisiana Bristol

Ginger & The Sinners – St John’s church Cardiff

Clowns, BBSC – The Exchange Bristol

Amyl And The Sniffers – Louisiana Bristol

Rich Ragany & The Digressions, The Speedways, More Kicks, The Spangles – The Blackheart London

The Wildhearts, Janus Stark – Komedia Bath

The Hip Priests – Le Pub Newport

Bar Stool Preachers, Rich Ragany & The Digressions – Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff

Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind – Jacs Aberdare

The Stray Cats, Selector, The Living End – Hammersmith Eventime London

Johnny Hayward
Bar Stool Preachers, Rich Ragany & The Digressions, Social Experiment –  Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff (Reviewed Here)

The Hip Priests, Rotten Foxes, Flash House, Glitter Piss –  The Pipeline, Brighton

Rebellion Festival 2019 – Winter Gardens, Blackpool

Jim Jones & The Righteous Minds, Heavy Flames, Deathtraps –  Jacs, Aberdare

Death By Unga Bunga, Seek Warmth –  Hy Brasil, Bristol

Dboy, The Vega Bodegas, Nigel –  Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

The Stray Cats, The Selector, The Living End –  Hammersmith Apollo, London

Grave Pleasures – The Fleece, Bristol

Pulled Apart By Horses, Baba Naga, Dactyl Terra –  Le Pub, Newport

Clowns, Broken Bones Gentleman’s Club, Glug – The Exchange, Bristol

Fraser Munro
Adam Ant – St Davids Hall Cardiff

Kiss – Kiss Kruise, Miami

Michael Monroe, Electric Eel Shock – The Fleece, Briatol

The Hip Priests – The Drippers, Deathtraps – JT Soar, Nottingham

Alice Cooper, MC50, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

Turbonecro, The Hip Priests – The Chameleon, Nottingham

Dboy – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

The Damned – KK’s Steel Mill. Wolverhampton

Skidrow, Backyard Babies – The Forum, London

the Wildhearts, Towers Of London – Tramshed, Cardiff

Ben Hughes
Michael Monroe – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds (Reviewed Here)

Duff McKagan/Shooter Jennings – Academy 3, Manchester

The Wildhearts – Stylus, Leeds

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Low Cut Connie – The Fulford Arms, York

Amyl & The Sniffers – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Ryan Hamilton Songs & Stories Show – Bloomfield Square, Otley

Tyla’s Dogs D’amour – The Fulford Arms, York

Levellers – The Minack Theatre, Cornwall

Hands Off Gretel – The Fulford Arms, York

Nigel Taylor 

The Stray Cats – O2, Birmingham

Saint Agnes – Plymouth Junction, Plymouth

The Wildhearts – Cavern, Exeter

Motörgoblin (Orange Goblin plays Motörhead) – St Moritz Club, London

Ginger Wildheart – St Johns Church, Cardiff

Queensryche – Islington Assembly Hall, London

Mother Vulture – End of the World Festival, Plymouth

Uriah Heep – Steelhouse Festival, Wales

Cradle of Filth – London Palladium, London

Ghost – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

Blaze Bayley – The Junction, Plymouth

Dom Daley
Rebellion Festival – Winter Gardens, Blackpool (Reviewed Here)

The Damned – London Palladium, London

Michael Monroe, Electric Eel Shock – The Fleece, Bristol

Duncan Reid &The Big Heads, Cyanide Pills, Bruno – Louisiana, Bristol

Amyl & The Sniffers – Lousiana, Bristol

Ginger & The Sinners – St Johns Church, Cardiff

Clowns – The Exchange, Bristol

Rich Ragany & The Digressions, The Speedways, More Kicks, The Spangles – Black Heart Camden, London

New Model Army – Tramshed, Cardiff

The Wonder Stuff – O2, Bristol

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

The first video from the soon to be released album ‘Succubus’ from Scanirockers Beat City Tubeworks hits the streets so here it is for your viewing pleasure You can  Pre-order ‘Top Rock’ Here:‘Freight Train’

Seconds out round Two and our favourite Hat wearing dandies from South Wales Deathtraps have a new video out for the track ‘Lets Fall Out Of Love’ which is the first of their new songs to be released an album is set for release in 2020..

To round things off we’ve had the new video from Southern rockers The Jab sent in so for all you rockers reading RPM here goes. Chicago’s The JAB Debut Music Video For Latest Single “Riot”; New LP ‘Consume’ Out Feb 4 Via Medicine/The Orchard For more details on these southern rockin boys check em out – Website  Facebook  Instagram

 

The Hip Priests / DC Spectres / Deathtraps / Red Light Syndrome – Le Pub Newport 11/05/19

The Hip Priests / DC Spectres / Deathtraps / Red Light Syndrome – Le Pub Newport 11/05/19

This one has long been on the list of must-attend no excuses shows.  Regardless of what else might be on a few miles away as tonight Matthew the hills are alive with the sound of music.  But, there was only one place RPM Online was going to be. With all due respect to other venues in the region and other events taking place this was the only Rodeo we were interested in.

First up – Red Light Syndrome. Ably led by Craigy Rees on vocals and guitar this four-piece are somewhere between Husker du, Lemonheads and early Soul Asylum and to be fair they have crafted some really excellent songs that on first listen sound epic. Opening with ‘Stop’ the quality and passion were evident. In their brief set, they managed to impress those clued up people wise enough to come to see all the bands on offer and it’s obvious they have an understanding of the music that inspired them to put these chords together and write music. Bands like The Replacements spring to mind – sure it’s early in proceedings to lay such mammoth role models upon them but if you’re going to aspire to anyone it might as well be the best in the genre. The excellent ‘See Things Through’ was a highlight much like the closing ‘6 Feet Bellow’ and ‘Heartburn’ what a great opener.

Deathtraps.  what can I say about the band who I’ve seen more than my own kids recently – everywhere I go they seem to be as well (not that I’m complaining mind), getting on the bill of some great shows lately and every time I see them they improve on the last time to be fair.  (Regardless of that being the night before in this case but you know what I mean) With a decent crowd in front of them, they get to work on demolishing some of their finest tunes (and a few new ones to boot).  To be fair the band are hot (not in that way) – na, make that red hot at the moment and playing all these shows are turning people onto their uncompromising Action Rock and Roll as they hammer it home. It’s good that Both Fraser and VJ share vocal duties to mix it up as they motor through the setlist lurching from the bulldozer punk rock not quite as speedy as a Zeke more your Rocket From The Crypt with some of the chord-heavy chops like the outstanding ‘Cool Kids’ which again sounds excellent.  I can assure you that Rock and Roll isn’t anywhere near dead with bands like this knocking it out and playing plenty of shows with a variety of bands will win them an ever-increasing following. More of the same next time, please (which I’m sure won’t be far away).

DC Spectres are on next and a twist on the Rock and Roll melon man with their garage fuzz fix high on the menu. With the heat in the venue meaning the walls are perspiring its nice to relax with some Psych fuzzed up surf punk (if there’s such a genre).  Imagine The Fuzztones jamming on The Cramps inspired by those Stooges and your somewhere in the same ballpark.  As the set got going they really hit their groove and for about ten minutes they were on fire until the dreaded technical hitch sidelined them briefly. Those damned guitar string breaks and the momentum is halted. By the time the band have regrouped and got going again, there wasn’t enough time to regain the same momentum  I do think they did enough in half an hour to impress the ever crowd that had gathered and joined them on their journey. The highlights were  ‘Later Than You Think’ and a new song I believe was called ‘I Gotta Know’ Which was most excellent.  I look forward to seeing them again and what they come up with to follow up the excellent ‘Vibrations’ album.

So, onto tonight’s headliners The Hip Priests.  what can possibly be said that hasn’t already been splurged over the internet about our favourite east Midlands fuck ups?  Now with brand new six-stringer Ben in situ? I took my place and waited for the sonic solution to all this turmoil around us in society. As I waited to have my hearing interfered with by an hour of the finest Rock and Fucking Roll I was pleased that there was a good turnout considering everything else that was happening in a ten-mile radius of the ‘Port these boys deserve it for always playing South Wales even when South Wales hasn’t turned out in force – maybe the tide is turning and these fucking boys finally get the kudos they thoroughly deserve.

Anyway.  tonight begins with a tsunami of sound washing over the attendees but with no lifevests needed as we were all going down together this latest incarnation of the Hip Priests sounds absofuckin’lutely huge! I kid you not. With their best album under their belts, they have every reason to attack these shows with a cocksure swagger (not that it’s stopped them before mind) but this time seems different – if they could bottle this it would be lethal.  I’ve said it many times before and I’ll keep on saying it – when you see some bands getting great tour slots and people falling over the sound of some plodding rock like its the second coming of The Stones or the New Stooges has finally arrived it’s one of those scratch your head times as to how can’t others see or hear what you hear. ‘Stand For Nothing’ is the finest loud record recorded by any band on Shit Island in a decade – no question about it. Whilst their audience is slowly growing I can’t believe it’s not exploding.

Anyway, with the dual lead guitar swinging on either side of the stage the band aren’t fucking about and get on with the job of leathering the shit out of the new album. Sparks fly and song after song spills forth from their instruments. from the minute ‘Motherfucker Superior’ attacks you it’s like your being chased down by a pack of rabid dogs such is the ferocity of this current line up.

It’s great to hear some fresh new songs sprinkled throughout the set as ‘Stand For Nothing’, ‘Shit Island’ and ‘Social Hand Grenade’ blend in seamlessly much like the new youf on guitar.  With Oz and Ben things seem like they are pushing each other with each song to be better than the last one and they’re rising to the challenge and it seems to have worked superbly well. Weaving in and out of the songs new and old. ‘Deja FU’ and then ‘Cheers To Me’ was a particular high point in the set which only left ‘Sonic Reproducer’ of in the main set.

The audience felt it and I’m sure the band felt it there was something a little different tonight something a bit special was happening and when Von Cruz offered an extra number be it Iggy or Hip Priest original it was the original Hip Priests song that got a louder cheer surely it was a sign?  I don’t know what for but I’m sure Lee Love was seen smiling which must be a sign so get out of here and get excited because when the Hip Priests come to your town – which they will do then you make sure you’re there and you’re ready – now, people of Shit Island and further afield what are you going to stand For? Stand for Rock and Fucking Roll and Stand for The Hip Fucking Priests who’s time is now, Right Now!

Author: Dom Daley

 

Electric Eel Shock/Deathtraps – Cardiff, The Moon – 28th March 2019

Electric Eel Shock/Deathtraps – Cardiff, The Moon – 28th March 2019

Newport’s Deathtraps seem to be popping up all over the place at the moment, and if they keep this rate of gigs up I’ll have seen them more than Accept before the Summer is out. Its all very positive stuff for the band though as even just a short month on from my last review of them right here on RPM they’ve already added a thundering new track to their setlist, its one all about covers bands called ‘Play The One We Know’ perhaps their catchiest tune to date too. There’s no fear of them getting that call here in The Moon though, No Siree, as this has to be one of the coolest underground venues I’ve attended recently, and I can only but wonder how it’s taken me so long to discover it. You see the punters here tonight are all craving original live music, and that’s why the noisy bastards otherwise known as Veej, Fraser and Bullet Von Deathtrap are instantly doing brisk business over on their merch stall straight after they finish delivering their dirty deeds.

I have to admit I knew very little about Electric Eel Shock before tonight, well nothing other than they used to be briefly signed to Gearhead (which is always a good sign) and that they come from Japan. In saying this it takes them approximately 20 seconds of opener ‘Suicide Rock & Roll’ to have me whooping it up down the front with the diehards (of which there are a considerable amount) as I’m immediately won over by the band’s infectious charm.

I mean how could you not instantly love a band that has within its ranks one Tomoharu Ito, a nude drummer (well nude albeit for a sock on his cock that he stretches out to aid his headbanging at appropriate times during their set) someone who also uses 4 drumsticks live – two in each hand. Add to this a bass player (Kazuto Maekawa) who is one of the coolest looking four stringers this side of Dee Dee Ramone and a singer (Akihito Morimoto) who also plays a Flying V (when he’s not trying to eat it) like an in his prime Randy Rhodes. You put all of this in the mix and I’m sure you will agree you have a mighty musical proposition at hand.

It’s the organised chaos the band call songs that really add the icing on the garage rock cake though and with Akihito ironically boasting that in spite of the fact that it had been three years since the band last played Cardiff they had written two songs during that time, I can’t help but chuckle at the band’s self-deprecating humour whilst grooving along to tracks like ‘So Much 80s’, ‘Red Devil’ and ‘Favourite No 9’. Electric Eel Shock (like most of us here at RPM) certainly love their cheesy metal and there are a few times tonight where I can almost feel a human pyramid coming on amongst my RPM gig going amigos.

Keeping it short (which you must have to be to actually play The Moon and the celling is bloody low) but very sweet Electric Eel Shock leave us with the instant classic  ‘Metal Man’ a track that brings back memories of when I first heard 44 Magnum’s iconic ‘Street Rock’N Roller’ album, and you ain’t gonna see that reference in many reviews anytime soon that’s for sure. Then again there really aren’t very many bands out there like Electric Eel Shock, to miss them live really is a crime, one I’m thankfully no longer guilty off.

 

Author: Johnny Hayward

Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind – Heavy Flames – Deathtraps – Jacs Aberdare 15.03.19

Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind – Heavy Flames – Deathtraps – Jacs Aberdare 15.03.19

Friday night it’s pissing down and we’re heading to some town in the middle of the Welsh valleys for what promises on paper to be one hell of a night out.  Once we navigate around the one-way system (Manhatten it isn’t) we still manage to fuck it up mind you but the Gods are with us and as we enter the venue Deathtraps are about ten seconds into their set and Loud it is.  To be fair I’ve seen these boys a few times lately and by a country mile, this was the tightest they’ve sounded and kudos to the sound man because he got their Garage punk action rock sound lock-in and wringing the shit out of the sweet spot.  With two albums in and another on the way, This three-piece are on fire and the people of Aberdare are in early and in fairness giving the band a healthy round of applause and their uncompromising set is going down really well (and so it should) With a well-balanced set of songs from both albums with ‘Teenage Knife Crime’ Going down particularly well and sounding huge.  Once again an enjoyable set but having a great mix helped and that not something you can always say about support bands.

Next up were local lads Heavy Flames at first they ambled onto the stage and looked like a bunch of misfits (maybe they are I’m not judging) but to be fair once they started playing their bluesy garage rock n roll sounded decent.  Of course, I didn’t have a clue what the songs were but they sounded alright and Bez on the harmonica was a nice touch to the sound.  Leading the band and patrolling the front of the dance floor the singer had an excellent voice and really belted out the numbers and to be fair pulled everything together.  I possibly wouldn’t go out of my way to see them but if they were on the bill I’d make sure I was there in time to catch them play. Which is something the locals obviously agreed with because the room was filling up nicely as Aberdare got down with their local band and really got behind them.

Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind has a brand new record out and tonight was the first night of the tour.  I’m always pleased to travel to this kind of venue because it would be so easy for a band as good as JJ&TRM to give somewhere like Jacs a swerve and just play your usual handful of big city shows to people who are generally spoilt or get more than their fair share of live gigs.  Well, tonight much like the last time they played south Wales in Ebbw Vale Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind really put on a show and for the next hour and some delivered life-affirming, high octane, earth-shaking rock and roll.

With a decent crowd intent on having a good time the band didn’t look or sound like a band on the first night of the tour as they burnt through the set list like a band possessed with hardly any mid-song banter Jim kept it tight and let the music do the talking and as they threw out songs from the debut album and the new ‘CollectiV’ they were going down a storm.

My trusty travelling companion was witnessing the power of a Jim Jones show for the first time and commented that Jim had the best Rock and Roll voice he had ever heard in a live setting and he was indeed correct and it was an intuitive observation as Brother Jim bellowed out his words of wisdom from his rock and roll altar.  Decked out in matching turtle necks the band were in danger of overheating such was the heat generated from their performance as the audience moved as one to songs like ‘Shazam’, ‘Killer Brainz’, or the magnificent ‘Satan’s Got His Heart Set On You’ Even songs off the first album like the epic ‘Til It’s All Gone’ or ‘Boil Yer Blood’ went down a storm. This band are on fire and whatever they play just sounds like dynamite easily one of the best live bands anywhere and tonight they weren’t going easy on Aberdare as they played until they couldn’t physically play anymore and the performance didn’t drop one single percent had they been playing the Albert Hall or Jacs it matters not because Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind are about the people and getting out there and doing it these guys walk the walk and Aberdare was lapping it up every second of it.

If you want Rock and Roll played with passion, conviction and a tonne of brilliant songs then hit up Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind because these lifers deliver every single time and not a second is wasted with insignificant guff because time is precious and ‘I Found Love’ its called Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind the time to Testify is now people sit up take note and jump on board. The Gospel of Rock and Roll was set on fire in Aberdare and I was a witness Now come back and play ‘Aldecide’ you must have forgotten to play it this time.  Simply stunning! now to spread the word and get people to join the CollectiV because the evil power of Rock and Roll is alive and well and with bands like this it’s in safe hands –  for now.

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Author: Dom Daley

 

*Seeing is believing so this week we don’t just bring you the opening night of the tour but in a few days you can read what went down when Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind played the iconic 100Club London*

Christmas/Trigger McPoopshute/Deathtraps/System Reset – Abertillery, Dolls House – 24th February 2019

Christmas/Trigger McPoopshute/Deathtraps/System Reset – Abertillery, Dolls House – 24th February 2019

Four bands, free admission and it’s Fraser Von Deathtrap’s 24th birthday… again! What more could you want from a Saturday night in your old home town?

Well not a lot really, as System Reset, who are late additions to tonight’s bill, open up proceedings almost as soon as I enter the venue, and with a pint of something cold and wet in my hand we’re straight into a 30 minute set of melodic hardcore punk music drawn from their RPM approved EP/mini album ‘Epidemic’.  With two of Trigger McPoopshute within their ranks you’d be forgiven for thinking System Reset might be just more of the same backdoor rock ‘n’ roll, but no, this quartet have a sound firmly rooted in the spirit of the skate park and tracks like ‘Feminazi’’, ‘Anxiety’ and set closer ‘PTSD’ could all have featured on the ‘Punk-O-Rama’ compilation series, something that should see them playing with the big boys at a venue near you very soon.

A couple of years on from their Dolls House debut the Deathtraps of 2019 are a much different beast to the one I first witnessed. Kickstarting proceedings with the lead track from their stonking ‘Gotta Get Some’ album, ‘Automatic Thrill’ sounds not so much like a direct lift from Gluecifer as a song spawned from a contract inked with Lucifer himself, and if newbie ‘Fuck The Cool Kids’ is anything to go by then Deathtraps really do have all the best songs just waiting to be unleashed on us. Taking us right back to the early shows though ‘Too Fast To Last’, and ‘Another Great Day’ sound almost reborn, and even if the suitably refreshed birthday boy forgets his basslines during ‘Hellbound’ it’s all dealt with in the flick of a wrist. Closing with the aptly titled ‘Fucked Up And Furious’ a song that does exactly what it says on the tin Deathtraps make a whole host new friends here tonight and you best make sure you catch them opening for The Hip Priests at various shows this spring.

With Trigger having been (by their standards at least) a bit quiet recently following the impromptu departure of Pix from behind the kit, it appears to have been their long overdue addition to the line up of this year’s Rebellion Festival that’s given Abertillery’s filthiest sons the much needed impetus to get back onstage, and most importantly write some new material. Bam from System Reset is the man they’ve recruited to drop his sticks during old faves like ‘Headfuck’, ‘Race Card’ and the fan requested ‘American Manc’ plus ‘Fish Or Bird’ once again sees the audience having their very own Only Connect moment.  Of the aforementioned new tracks you can take your pick from ‘Wank Palace’, ‘Self Righteous’ and ‘Shitfinger’ as to which one offends you most… but I can’t help smiling, no, laughing, at each of them. Sounding more like the bastard sons of Venom and The Macc Lads than ever before Trigger McPoopshute are on a mission to make life seem a little bit brighter, because as their set closing dedication to some recently lost friends (immediately before ‘Charity Snatch’) proves, for some of us it can be all over far too quickly.

Returning to the Dolls House for (what if my memory serves me correctly is) the fourth time, German satanic punkers Christmas are back in the UK promoting their white-hot 3rd album ‘Scum As You Are’ and I for one was not going to miss this. Kicking things off with the opening one-two salvo from said album – ‘Army of Losers’ and ‘The Old Man Tells’ – the band literally explodes in my face via this 3 minute (plastic) bomb of punk rock, before I’m instantly whisked right back to 2014 via the title track from their ferocious ‘Appetite For Selfdestruction’ debut. Granted only frontman Max Motherfucker remains from that line up but as the band has evolved and shed personnel, I feel it has only made them a leaner, hungrier beast, one that can write songs as tight and exciting as ‘You Bore Me’, ‘Good Times, High Fives’ and the Motorheadtastic ‘Sex Sells’ all of which are aired here tonight.

‘Skate All Night’, ‘Cracksong’ and ‘Moonshine Love’ all remain in the set from the band’s perhaps overlooked ‘Lose Your Illusion’ sophomore album whilst ‘No More Tears’, ‘Nothing But A Handjob’ and ‘Wolfpack’ from the aforementioned debut all take me back in fiery fashion to why I fell in love with the band in the first place.

The last time I saw Max live was on the massive Empire Ballroom stage at Rebellion fronting Reagan Youth where he couldn’t really practice his full contact audience participation routine, here tonight however he more than makes up for this, cajoling complete strangers into singing along to songs they have never heard before whilst scaring the diehards into not getting the lyrics wrong as his microphone is promptly shared around the audience front row like a punk rock hot potato. This is what makes Christmas so special and I guess its also why Max comes back to the Dolls House time and time again. Special mention too to the band’s stand-in drummer Jan who after just two rehearsals turns in a faultless performance hammering home each and every track like he’d been on the road with the band for months.

Nothing beats the true punk rock spirit of Christmas I tell ya… nothing.

Author: Johnny Hayward

The Hip Priests – ‘Stand For Nothing’ (God’s Candy/Ghost Highway/Speedowax/Digital Warfare)

The Hip Priests – ‘Stand For Nothing’ (God’s Candy/Ghost Highway/Speedowax/Digital Warfare)

It’s been 5 long years since The Hip Priests’ last studio album, but as some wise old sage once said “good things to those who hate”.

During that time events have certainly seen the UK become a more divisive place to live and as such ‘Stand For Nothing’ has never felt like a more perfectly timed record. It’s one the band said they’d never release but now felt compelled to, plus it’s also one that contains not a single song about the old in out … a true first in Priests terms.

But wait just a minute, because I’m getting ahead of myself here and forgetting you just might be someone discovering The Hip Priests for the very first time, sat there all comfy on your toilet (I mean where else would you read about the Hip Priests?) thinking that in those intervening 5 years the band’s core trio of bassist Lee Love, guitarist Austin Rocket and vocalist Nathan Von Cruz must have been hidden away on some tropical island paradise recording a masterpiece in studio fuckery with Muff Flange. Well, you’d of course be very wrong indeed, because during the past 5 years what The Hip Priests have actually been doing is working their arses off by relentlessly touring (with the likes of Zeke, The Dwarves and The Bitch Queens) whilst releasing a bazillion independently funded and released limited edition 7” singles. Whilst in the process of doing all this they also managed to lose 2 drummers (before arriving at current sticksman D.P. Bomber), decided to turbocharge their sound via the addition of a second guitarist (via the enigmatic Silent Mike – who has subsequently moved on to pastures new), and then came within a hair’s breadth of finally getting themselves signed to a major label. Something that would ultimately come to nothing when the A&R guy signing them was “let go” by the label.

Phew! That potted history reads like a draft film script doesn’t it, but this boys and girls is the harsh reality of being in a proper rock ‘n’ roll band, one that is driven to succeed at all costs.

So, after all that does ‘Stand For Nothing’ live up to my heady expectations as the record to propel them into 2019 as the number one independent rock band on the UK scene?

Well, it takes exactly one line of the album’s blistering opener ‘Welcome To Shit Island’ to answer this conundrum as Nathan Von Cruz venomously spits out “Small minds, dumb pricks – drop a bomb on this isle of shit” and I can immediately feel myself grinning from ear to ear whilst punching the air with absolute joy. YES! Someone is finally not afraid to speak the truth and there really is no time like right now (excuse the pun) to celebrate it. In fact, all joking aside if ever there was a sign that The Hip Priests were evolving into a much bigger and angrier sounding beast than ever before it was that 10 minute epic (which curiously doesn’t make the final track listing here) that well and truly pissed the line in the sand regarding the band’s musical ambitions.

The expansion of sound that was so evident during the horn-driven ‘No Time (Like Right Now)’ is thankfully driven headlong into this album too and the aforementioned addition of a second guitarist gives tracks like the stunning ‘Losers Of The Faith’ (which I must admit is my favourite track here) and the glorious one-finger piano-driven ‘Stand For Nothing’ an additional melodic edge, something that just might have been missing from previous Priests’ records where the band chose to simply bulldozer you into aural ecstasy.

Fear not though fellow Spasm Gangbangers because that old school Priests sound is still very much here in abundance during tracks like the caustic ‘Social Hand Grenade’, and the thundering album closer ‘Rock N Roll Leper’ plus let’s not forget the already firmly established live favourite ‘Cheers To Me’. It’s just that this time around I’m finding myself going back to the likes of the pounding ‘Deja F.U.’ and the dare I say it the “gothic sounding” ‘How Do You Get Off?’ (is that a hint of Farfisa I here in there lads?) time and time again as The Hip Priests truly spread their musical wings…sonically speaking of course.

What also really stands out on this record are the lyrics, and on the vinyl only track ‘U Okay Hun’ we get to rejoice in Lee Love’s lightning fast take on the world of the vacuous self-centred fucks that litter social media, a track which is without doubt one of his finest moments yet, and he’s written quite a few of those that’s for sure.

At the start of this review I stated that ‘Stand For Nothing’ contained no tracks about sex, which will be a total shock to any Priests fan’s moral system I know, but for those of you hankering for the ‘Saints Of Excess’ of old there’s still ‘Last Train Wrecks’ to look forward to, a glorious tale of self-destruction that comes complete with an intro from Happy Tom and actually revolves around some of the very people who will no doubt be rushing to buy their copy of this album when it goes on pre-sale on Feb 4th via the various labels involved and linked below.

Look, in ‘Stand For Nothing’ The Hip Priests have written one of, if not THE most important garage punk albums of 2019. Buy it now (via the links below) and help the band save Shit Island from forever falling into the sea of musical mediocrity.  Essential!

Spasm Gang

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Author: Johnny Hayward