Desperate times call for Desperate Measures

Desperate times call for Desperate Measures

SINGLE LAUNCH SHOW LONDON WATER RATS MAY 20TH THIS FRIDAY! TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE: The Duel and Seven Days and Doesn’t Die are along for the ride!

Pic credit Per-Ake Warn

New Zealand born, London-based rockers Desperate Measures follow their mini-album ‘Rinsed’ on Easy Action Records and a full UK tour with Paul Cook’s post-Pistols rockers The Professionals at the end of last year, with a brand-new single today titled ‘Thinking Of England.’

Recorded once again with Andy Brook (who has produced, engineered, and toured with the like of Status Quo, Ginger Wildheart, Wonk Unit, Hayseed Dixie…) at The Brook Studios in Wallington, Surrey, ‘Thinking Of England’ is the first glimpse of Desperate Measures’ debut full-length album due early 2023.

‘Thinking Of England’ is a high-energy, charging power-pop eruption that guitarist Michael Gaffney says is “about leaving a bad situation, whether it be physically or mentally, trying to find light at the end of the tunnel and staying hopeful, realising that you might be fucked now, but it’s not always going to be that way.”

JJ & The Real Jerks – ‘Mess You Up’ (Heavy Medication Records)

JJ & The Real Jerks – ‘Mess You Up’ (Heavy Medication Records)

WooHoo! A brand new set of recordings courtesy of JJ & The Real Jerks had this scribe jumping for joy and when they featured on the Rock and Roll Manifesto single EP that got released a while back I was delighted only to find out this long player was in the works. This crazy rock we live on kinda reverting back to some sort of happy place after all the turmoil of the past few years.

It’s simple, I love loud guitars, and can’t get enough of ’em especially when they come wrapped in excellent melodies and arrangments that ooze class then all squeezed onto plastic that we can spin to our hearts content. Welcome to the world where JJ & The Real Jerks are that band.

A tonne of Energy, Saxophone, Electric Guitars, bass and drums all chewed up and captured with understanding and love for what they do. It’s a time-honored format – nothing too complicated. Tip the hat to the good and the great that went before them and paved the way so some could follow. Drain a few beers get the vibe going and then kicked down the door and just rocked the fuck out.

‘Mess You Up’ begins with a rapid beat and thumping bass line then JJ enters the fray before we zoom off with a hack and slash slice of punk rock n roll old school. It’s got the right amount of energy and lip curling bubblegum chewing vocals – pouring out the lyrics that pick up the gauntlet and not so much run with it but blaze the path and keep the cycle of punk n roll turning. JJ & The Real Jerks do this as good if not better than most. Tunes? Hell yeah! ‘Dead In The Water’ is cool as fuck. Nothin’ groundbreaking but thats not their MO, they just wanna rock n roll to the best of their ability and leave a bunch of great tunes that rock like a bastard and the result my friends is a resounding Job Done! The chorus on ‘Dead In The Water’ is easy even if you’re wasted just so long as you’re not dead in the water you can join in. turn up the stereo and let it out..

‘Lost Souls Pub’ is a killer tune. JJ sings with such authority of course I’m gonna join you in the pub get the beers in I’m there and the sax punching in is awesome. My only complaint is there are only eight tracks on offer because I want more, more, more!

‘Ten Cent Beer Night’ continues the party. Then, the title track rolls in on some cool slide Geetar and a chilled backbeat before the fist-pumping gang vocals get involved. This is anthemic Rock n Roll kids but not in some cheesy way it’s the bastard sons of the Dolls and The Dictators and all those bands who cruised around knowing they were out of step with what was the ‘flavour of the month’ but did it because its what was in their soul, it’s all they knew. This is a bunch of tunes that deserve to be heard and those of us lucky enough to tune in and get it will have records to turn to forever just like the bands that helped shape JJ & The Real Jerks like The Humpers, The Dragons, sure some Johnny Thunders meets Hanoi meets Buzzcocks with a twist of X-Ray Spex and Supersuckers (at their evil powers best).

JJ & The Real Jerks understands what it takes to whip up some magical music and then get it pressed on wax. Hell, they close with the epic smoulderingly cool as fuck ‘Sinking Feeling’ which deserves to be heard so I’ll leave you with this – I know it’s only Rock n Roll baby but I love it! Welcome back JJ we’ve missed ya! Now people get out and buy this record it’s a Banger!

Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

The OhNos – ‘Waving From Hades’ (Beluga Records)

The OhNos – ‘Waving From Hades’ (Beluga Records)

Malmö is the place The OhNos are the band. 2017 was when they released their first album ‘Sounds From The Basement’ after they dipped their collective toes in the murky pool of shark-infested Rock n Roll waters that we know and love. you might be forgiven for thinking (such is their confident swagger) that they’ve been at this pop-punk lark for a lot longer. Signing to Beluga Records is most definitely a seal of quality and points to the fact they don’t sign and release rubbish records so be safe in the knowledge ‘Waving From Hades’ is well worth getting your mitts on.

The album struts into life with the title track and easy to see why it was picked for a video, with its catchy hook and familiar-sounding melody. It’s catchy and will ease you into this album like a ray of early morning sunshine but be careful it might get darker. And so it turns down an altogether more punchy alley with ‘Final Call’. Rattling out of the speakers with fists windmilling and some great thrashing guitars raining down on you, it’s always a beautiful thing.

‘Trouble On Legs’ has got swagger and some fierce Backing Vocals. Once the ‘Light’ gets going it’s a swirling mass of snare drum and guitars being rinsing within an inch of their life. Narrowly avoiding chaos.

‘Message’ has shades of PJ Harvey which is never a bad place to find yourself oh and I love those BV’s. ‘Kiss The Boots’ has the tone of prime-time Steve Diggle and is easy to see why it was picked to be a single, Damn, you pick anything off this record there are so many great tunes at every turn. There is some great arrangement going on on ‘Desert Dreams’ which ebbs and flows really well.

‘Tommy Gun’ (no not a cover) has a great melody and guitar lick that gets inside your ear and burrows into your brain, complete with groovy breakdown before heading down the pop-punk route. Before they sign off they offer up ‘Stop’ with its punchy verse juddering towards the chorus. They then sign off with a big grinding ‘NGBG’ like Sonic Youth covering some T Rex. ‘NGBG’ (as far as I know) is a Swedish street festival native to Malmö. All in all an excellent album with variety, attitude, great arrangements, and an album that most certainly rocks but with an eye on the pop and being able to carry all that off with consummate ease. Check this album out!

Buy Here

Facebook

Author: Dom Daley

The Virginmarys – Hit The Road

The Virginmarys – Hit The Road

 ‘THE DEVIL KEEPS COMING TOUR’ IS ROLLING TO TOWN IN OCTOBER 2022!!!!!!!

After a successful support slot on the recent Ricky Warwick tour around the UK, The Virginmarys announce a bunch of headline shows for October

Dates & Tickets Here

King’s X – sign with InsideOutMusic/Sony Music & complete work on first new album in 14 years

King’s X – sign with InsideOutMusic/Sony Music & complete work on first new album in 14 years

The legendary King’s X, comprised of dUg Pinnick, Ty Tabor & Jerry Gaskill, are pleased to announce they have signed with InsideOutMusic/Sony Music worldwide. They will be the label-home for the band’s forthcoming 13th studio album and first new music in 14 years, which has just been completed, the long-awaited new record will see the light of day on the 2nd of September 2022. 

The band comments:

“I feel like it’s been forever since we put out a new album, and I’m ready for the world to hear our latest offering, hopefully there’s a little bit of everything that you love about Kings X, three sides of one is the best way to describe it. The groove is with us!” – dUg Pinnick

 “It’s really gonna happen! The new record is coming out soon. I’m happy to be working with the team at InsideOut/Sony Music. I’m happy with the record. I’m happy everybody gets to hear it. It’s a happy day. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself. Hope you enjoy it!!!” – Jerry Gaskill

“I have a long-standing relationship with InsideOut and am so pleased that InsideOut/Sony is releasing the new King’s X album.”  – Ty Tabor

InsideOutMusic label-head Thomas Waber adds: “We have known the guys since forever and have been fans even before then. We are really looking forward to adding another album to their impressive legacy. Working on a King’s X album is always a highlight and an honour!”

The bands forthcoming new album saw them working with Emmy Award-winning engineer, mixer, and producer Michael Parnin (Rage Against the Machine, Mark Lanegan) at his Blacksound Studio in California. He comments: “I am very proud of the energy and work put into this album, especially of all the different vocal performances and varied musical influences mixed together as one. In true King’s X fashion, we had several obstacles to overcome, and it wasn’t easy but hopefully worth it to the amazing die-hard fans out there who have been waiting so patiently and to the new listeners hearing King’s X for the first time. It’s an honest labour of love that I am excited the world finally gets to hear.”

King’s X are set to return to stages in 2022, heading to Europe in September and returning to North America for more dates in October. Find the full list of shows below: 

Europe & UK

1st September – Backstage Halle, Munich, Germany

2nd September – Veruno Musica Festival, Veruno, Italy

3rd September – Old  Capitol, Langenthal, Switzerland

6th September – Hirsch, Nürnberg, Germany

7th September – Colos-Saal – Aschaffenburg, Germany

9th September – Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands

10th September – Fabrik, Hamburg, Germany

12th September – Spirit of 66, Verviers, Belgium

13th September – Kantine, Cologne, Germany

14th September – Le Forum, Vaureal (Paris), France

16th September – The Brook, Southampton, UK

17th September – Picturedrome, Holmfirth, UK

18th September – Wylam Brewery, Newcastle, UK

20th September – Garage, Glasgow, UK

22nd September – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, UK

23rd September – Junction, Cambridge, UK

24th September – KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton, UK

26th September – Islington Assembly Hall, London, UK

27th September – Academy 2, Manchester, UK

28th September – Tramshed, Cardiff, UK

30th September – Biebob, Vosselaar, Belgium

1st October – Hypothalamus, Rheine, Germany 

North America

28th July – Gramercy Theatre, NYC, NY, USA

29th July – Sellersville Theatre, Sellersville, PA, USA

19th October – Amos’ Southend, Charlotte, NC, USA

20th October – The Concourse, Knoxville, TN, USA

21st October – The Forum, Hazard, KY, USA

23rd October – Brooklyn Bowl, Nashville, TN, USA

25th October – The Howlin’ Wolf, New Orleans, LA, USA

27th October – Come and Take It Live, Austin, TX, USA

28th October – Trees, Dallas, TX, USA

29th October – Warehouse Live, Houston, TX, USA

Look out for more info on the new album in the coming months!

KING’S X online:

https://www.kingsxrocks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KingsXofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/kingsxofficial/

INSIDEOUTMUSIC online:

www.insideoutmusic.com

www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV

www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic

www.twitter.com/insideouteu

The Mighty Headswim Return

The Mighty Headswim Return

Flood #Redux released October 7th, 2022

original line up reform for an intimate album launch show

 headswim.co.uk

Trapped Animal Records is proud to announce the return of 90’s legends Headswim, with a reissue of their seminal psych-grunge masterpiece, ‘Flood’, on October 7th.  Released on double vinyl and double CD, this deluxe re-issue will feature previously unreleased BBC sessions, studio B sides, and experiments by the band and their mad scientist friends on disc two! 


To celebrate the release, Headswim’s original lineup will be performing Flood in its entirety at The Camden Underworld on Friday, October 7th. This will be the Headswim’s first performance in over two decades!


“If you’d told me 28 years ago that in 2022 Headswim would be performing the entirety of their debut LP at The Camden Underworld, I’d have eaten my hat. Pass the salt.” exclaimed Clovis Taylor.


To pre-order Flood #Reduxon three different double vinyl formats, double CD and download go to  headswim.co.uk 

There are also bundles available and tickets for the Underworld.

We will be raising money for C.A.L.M – The Campaign Against Living Misery and donating 5% from the sales on headswim.co.uk to the charity. https://www.thecalmzone.net/


Bob Vylan- ‘The Price of Life’ (Ghost Theatre Records)

Bob Vylan- ‘The Price of Life’ (Ghost Theatre Records)

I first clapped my ears on Bob Vylan way back when a certain “Lynch your leaders” became my go to track as we worked our way through the first Covid 19 lock-down, then we got hit with “We live here” and the rest is history, I’ve watched Bob Vylan gain traction and get to the point of exploding into the general conscience, and as I type it rumours abound that this baby The Price of Life has hit the charts!!!!

Now let’s just say this in no reflects a move towards a more socially acceptable standpoint, no movement towards commerciality, and keeping it independent launched on their own Ghost Theatre Records what more could you want?

This is Brutal stuff a nihilistic expose of Tory led policies, outing the far right and the decision makers who stand in the background profiteering from the latest under the counter deal. As the LP opens you get drawn in with the “Walter Speaks” sample and then “Wicked and Bad” tears your face off social-commentary up front and centre. There’s no let up as we move into” Big Man” and “Take that” and that link between grime and punk seems more relevant than anything out there at the moment, both movements born in the underground and each movement within their individual generations ripping into that Tory led new world order, and what we have to do to survive and earn enough to live. By the time we hit “Pretty songs” your hooked and then everything moves up another gear, this is seriously good, from the punk side of things I keep being drawn back to Crass comparisons, while from the grime side I can’t help linking it to Lowkey, (check out terrorist) and some of the early Akala stuff, socially aware but not with the edge presented by this beauty. “Turn off the Radio” is fckin’ immense, this is a heavier LP than the first, at times it draws on grunge, while at other times we’re into straight out hardcore punk, while at others we link in brutal industrial, right up my street, that heavier lilt really hits you with “GDP”.

“Bait the Bear” is almost Slayer’esque how heavy is that opening riff!!! (it’s a rhetorical question, it’s heavy as fck). There really is no let up “Phone Tap(Alexa)” with a thrash drive at it’s core, just builds and builds and then we’re thrown against the wall by “Drug War” probably my favourite track on the lp, punk to the core, but the vocal lead just leaves you speechless, all too quickly we’re into last up “WHATCHAGONNADO”,  again there is no let up and the lp as a whole just builds and builds finishing on a high, intense, in your face, shaking you to wake up to what’s really happening, Social commentary with an attitude born on the streets, Get this LP bought, my album of the year so far, lets get Bob Vylan to number 1 !!!!!!

Buy Here

Author: Nev Brooks

The Courettes – ‘Back In Mono’ (Damaged Goods Records)

The Courettes – ‘Back In Mono’ (Damaged Goods Records)

The Courettes are hot hot hot! at the moment and rightly so. Heading over to the UK in June for an extensive tour this 10″ record brings together a whole bunch of B sides and outtakes. Striking whilst the iron is hot is a good thing and this duo are knocking out quality records and drawing these together in one convenient place is a bargain. They ask that you play this record loudly and through shite speakers but that’s not an exclusive request because it’s also available on CD as well.

You know the drill with this pair, they’re retro in a wall of sound way and bang up to date current as well. It’s not just a cobbled-together compilation because there are non-album B sides, and three tracks that have added instrumentation on them it also has the Japanese-only split ‘So What’ available right here, right now.

Their brand of pop smart melodies wrapped up in a Rock and Roll sound was perfectly described as not playing Rock and Roll because they are Rock and Roll, if you know – you know! At times you have to concentrate hard on the record because you think it is a four-piece and some making that wall of sound and not just two musicians, it’s got that warm Fuzz on the guitar and a shimmering smokey mix over the top of the whole sound. Surely it’s only a matter of time before everyone gets down with The Courettes and their music maybe one DJ who knows their music will get smart or a Jools Holland to champion this pair and whoosh! away they’ll fly. ‘Tough Like That’ is a bruiser with it’s punchy riff and then the cool smoldering ‘Talking About My Baby’ before it just takes off for the chorus before switching vocals and dropping back into that cool smolder.

Try them – buy this 10″ you won’t regret it they write and perform wonderful music that let you leave all your real-world woes at the door because for the next half an hour your gonna dream and pretend you’re onto the best-kept secret in music – The Fabulous Courettes Schh! or everyone will cotton on. Bop shawaddy bop baby! Eight tracks to tide us over. Perfecto!

Facebook

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

The Muffs – ‘New Improved Kim Shattuck Demos’ (Omnivore Recordings)

The Muffs – ‘New Improved Kim Shattuck Demos’ (Omnivore Recordings)

Now the dust has settled on another wallet-busting RSD, it’s time to assess the picks of the pops and if you weren’t lucky enough to pick one up there are some floating around the internet from shops that unbelievably didn’t sell their allocated copies. Limited to 2500 copies.

During the period leading up to 2004’s ‘Really Really Happy’, The Muffs had been keeping a busy schedule of live performances as well as working through an ever-increasing list of songwriting demos from singer/guitarist Kim Shattuck a process explained on the inner sleeve notes by fellow bandmate Ronnie Barnett. Once this bunch of tunes was narrowed down, the band set to recording them for the album. Appearing as bonus material on the upcoming, expanded 2-CD/Digital reissue of ‘Really Really Happy’, ‘New Improved Kim Shattuck Demos’ represents the only vinyl appearance of these 16 tracks, composed and performed entirely by Kim.

The 16-track, black vinyl LP is fully endorsed by Kim’s friends, family, and bandmates. It also contains a personal note to Kim from bandmate Ronnie Barnett. The world lost Kim to ALS in 2019, ‘New Improved Kim Shattuck Demos’ shows the enigmatic singer, songwriter, and performer in her true creative element. While The Muffs turned this material into their classic fifth album, it all began with Kim.” To get beyond the loss of such talent is like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that you were always told was a myth. One of the must pick up items these will all go. So until the CD is released this will more than do.

The pick of the pops would have to be a vibrant run through ‘The Story Of Me’ and a banging take on the melodramatic ‘A Little Luxury’ with the raw edge of a demo but it loses none of the drama and with hindsight, I hope she found her Luxury.

Sure it’s missing the final polish and gleams that a fully finished and mastered record has but it’s those rough edges and rawness that hold up these fantastic tunes and if it was possible to love them a little more then it’s job done.

It’ll be interesting to see what the CD is like as it features twenty-two tracks (all of these demos, and a further six that will be released on a 7″ hand stamped single). The explanation on the inner sleeve is a beautiful thing and quite how this took almost twenty years to emerge is another miracle. Much like some of the other RSD releases Bleeding Hearts is the one that springs to mind, an absolute belter of a release and why I’m not down on RSD (not yet) but having these gems to listen to long after the studio finished recordings come out is what loving music is all about and why people are so passionate about it. If you can buy it!

Author: Dom Daley