POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit G – Daily Mirror Pop Club annual 1982

POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit G – Daily Mirror Pop Club annual 1982

Season’s greetings to all RPM-People! This time of year is prime for accumulating all manner of collectables that you really don’t need, but really must have: Christmas is coming, the goose is getting tat, and all that. With that skewed mantra in mind, for this latest of my Pop Culture Schlock columns I present a righteous rockin’ relic that I found loitering under the Xmas tree at my childhood home on December 25th, 1981…

I have extolled the virtues of the annual previously in the virtual pages of RPM; detailing the must-have Rock On! annual from Christmas 1979 in an earlier column. It would be very remiss of me, however, to not dip a cowboy-booted-toe into the waters of this hard-backed veteran of youthful gift lore at the time of year when, once upon a happier time, an annual was as Christmas as mince pie.

 

The Record Mirror Pop Club annual 1982 – released in time for Christmas 1981 – was given to my then-ten-year-old self by a cool aunt. She had once won a beauty contest, almost got scalped in a car accident, and had got the top of one of her fingers cut off at a zoo so, yeah, she was cool. The cover photo of said annual was a great live shot of The Police, the first band that I, post-childish Showaddywaddy infatuation, really got into and had posters on my bedroom wall of. I guessed that this cover was the reason why this annual had resided in a pile of now-crumpled wrapping paper under my tree. But, no; a quick finger of the pages informed me that this gift was pointed in my direction due to the inclusion of my latest (and arguably greatest) musical infatuation, KISS!

Yes, a full-page colour feature entitled “The KISS of Success” was the reason why this annual found itself in my possession, where it would remain for almost four full decades. The photograph that accompanied the article was, and remains, simply awesome. Messrs Simmons, Stanley, Frehley, and Carr, the newest band member, looking slick in the photoshoot used to promote the band’s 1980/81 ‘Unmasked’ world tour. Now, I know that the photos were taken on the day of the band’s 1980 show at the New York Palladium – the only show where Eric Carr wore the original “silver fox” version of his make-up. Then, I, like many others, I guess, was left wondering just how this great new drummer looked a little different. The photos were used for the tour books of the European and Australian legs of the ‘Unmasked’ world tour with crude touching-up of Carr’s make-up to remove all traces of the silver outlines. I wouldn’t hold an ‘Unmasked’ tour book in my hoarder hands for many a year, so this was my first experience of the original (not to be confused with Carr’s hawk make-up trial which was mocked more than Gene’s future hair hats) fox look and it felt special.

 

The feature spoke to me of enthusiastic acclaim for ‘Attack of the Phantoms’ from Australia and Germany; of how the solo albums sojourn had seen the band members return stronger, with astonishing new energy, to produce sensational albums like ‘Dynasty’ and ‘Unmasked’; and of how former member, Peter Criss, would always “remain as a member of the KISS partnership.” As frothy as the feature was, the fact that I now had a full-page colour feature to drool over rather than the minuscule black and white cuttings collected by each and every UK-based KISS Kid meant everything.

The annual wasn’t all about KISS, though: the pages featured many intelligent articles on all manner of (then-)current bands and artists. The Daily Mirror Pop Club was, you see, an actual club that offered money off concert tickets, free to enter rock and pop contests, and a members-only cassette lending library which boasted over 5,000 titles. Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones were honorary presidents of the club. If proof were ever needed that the Daily Mirror once had a life beyond indentikit idiocy enabler then here it is.

 

“Things Look Good For Dire Straits” yelled a headline accompanying a two-page spread; “Go Quo in ’82!” another such piece. Cover stars The Police got a three-page article where each band member’s private life was dissected; guitarist Andy Summers revealed to have once shared an apartment with actor Paul Michael Glaser – yes, Starsky himself! Sheena Easton, Olivia Newton-John, Joan Armatrading, Kelly Marie, and Earth, Wind and Fire all got one-page features, as did Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond in a dedicated crooners section. To even things up a little, The Tourists, XTC, and Hazel O’Connor all featured, as did a lengthy John Peel article. With Elton John and Billy Joel spreads rubbing inked shoulders with features on Air Supply and Don McLean, the eclectic mix of the hit parade of the early Eighties was captured almost perfectly. But what of the rock and metal, I hear you cry over your Manowar records – full colour posters of Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy would surely quench any metalli-thirst.

Posters, you say? What kind of savage would cut up a frigging annual? Not me! If, however, you were some kind of imbecile then matt-finished photographs of Debbie Harry, Kate Bush, Rod Stewart, Madness, Sad Café, Cliff Richard, and Leo Sayer in a bike jacket could have covered up the woodchip in your boxroom.

 

I hope that an annual resides under the Xmas tree of all cool kids who have taken the time to read my retro ramblings on RPM this year. I shall return in 2020 with more tales of rock ‘n’ roll spit being swallowed by the worlds of comic books, board games, action figures, and the like. I know that the world appears to be more fucked up than it has for some time but, if you’ve ever asked the question offered by the theme tune of one of the greatest television shows of the twentieth century – “is the only thing to look forward to, the past?” – then I may be able to bring you brief moments of solace via my much-loved, well-fingered pieces of tat. Have a cool yule, y’all!

 

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Author: Gaz Tidey

Gorilla Riot announce that their first full-length album

Gorilla Riot announce that their first full-length album

UK’s dirty rock n blues mavericks, Gorilla Riot announce that their first full-length album, PEACH, is now available for pre-order at gorillariotband.com

PEACH is available in Digital, CD and Vinyl formats and released through Off Yer Rocka Recordings (OYR). Distribution via Cargo Records with a release date of Friday 31 January 2020. An album launch show will be held at Rebellion, Manchester, UK on Sat 08 Feb 2020.

The Riot’s frontman, Arjun Bhishma said, “After our last EP many people put us in the ‘Southern Rock’ bracket. With this record we wanted to show that, although that genre certainly is an influence, it is one of many. You will hear from the first second of the first song that this is not just a Southern Rock record, even if it has elements of that to it. This record takes inspiration from a broader set of genres, from classic rock to grunge with a base in the blues.

“We wanted to show how we have progressed as a band in terms of groove and specific parts. The guitars in this are all intertwining around each other, whilst playing their own individual parts during each song. Having three guitars allows us to layer music in a way that can be recreated live. Therefore, everything you hear on this album is how it will be done live.

“We like to think that people will enjoy its immediacy but that it will also take a few listens to discover every nuance and subtlety.”

The album includes the two singles released so far, ‘Half Cut’ and ‘Young Guns’ along with 10 further brand new songs, with variations in running order across each of the formats.

 

Gorilla Riot are a 5-piece dirty rock n’ roll blues machine from Manchester, England. Using a 3-prong guitar attack with multi-part vocal harmonies; they play raucous blues-based rock, combining elements of grunge, stoner, and country to create a full-on high energy show.

Created by mainman, Arjun Bhishma, he surrounded himself with the best talent in Manchester to form Gorilla Riot.  Arjun, Liam Henry (guitars & vocals), Charly T. (guitars & vocals), James Degnen (bass), have been recently joined by Will Lewis on skins.

Equally at home acoustically or electrically they recently played in Spain and France earlier this year, they then returned home for shows with fellow OYR act, MASSIVE and then as part of the recent Roadstars tour.

LIVE DATES:

Sat 08 Feb – Album Release Show, Rebellion, Manchester
Sat 29 Feb – Winter’s End Festival, Poole
Sat 21 Mar – Bannerman’s Edinburgh
Sun 22 Mar – The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool
Fri 27 Mar – Cobblestones, Bridgwater
Sat 28 Mar – Crazy Cowboy 5, Facebar, Reading (headline)
Sat 18 Apr – NWOCR Fest, Leo’s Red Lion, Gravesend (special guests)
Fri 05 Jun – Loverocks Festival, Nr Bournemouth
Sat 06 Jun – Echo Music Club, Hook

www.gorillariotband.com
www.facebook.com/GorillaRiot

‘R3L0ADED: The Best Of GUN – Up Close and Personal’

‘R3L0ADED: The Best Of GUN – Up Close and Personal’

Scottish rockers GUN are thrilled to announce a series of UK shows in March / April next year – entitled “R3L0aded: The Best Of GUN – Up Close and Personal Tour”.

The band, who are currently out on their co-headline UK tour with Dan Reed Network & FM, continue their 30thAnniversary celebrations into 2020, taking a greatest hits set into some smaller rooms to be “Up Close and Personal” with their audience.

Last Month, GUN celebrated the release of their critically acclaimed “R3L0ADED” album, a double CD set, featuring choice cuts from their previous studio albums as a “Best Of” package together with some great cover versions and live favourites.  The “Up Close and Personal” Tour will combine tracks from this album together with a few other surprises.  Tickets are priced at just £18.00 including all booking fees.

Gun’s Dante Gizzi “We thought it would be great to take in some small clubs where we can play our songs in a very intimate setting and can keep the ticket price to a minimum – to really give back to our fans for 30 plus years of support. We are really looking forward to this, so hope to see you all there!”

Tour Dates are as follows:

31stMarch – Cambridge – Portland Arms
1stApril – Nottingham – Rescue Rooms
2ndApril – Cardiff – The Globe
3rdApril – Manchester – Night People 
4thApril – Keighley – Studio 5 Live
5thApril – Newcastle – The Cluny

Tickets are on Sale from Saturday December 20thfrom
www.gigantic.com

Doors for all shows 7:30pm
There will be a different guest act in each city – to be announced soon.
GUN have also been announced to play Stonedead Festival, Newark, UK – 29thAugust 2020

GUN are – Dante Gizzi – Lead Vocals; Giuliano Gizzi – Guitar; Paul McManus – Drums,
Andy Carr – Bass, Tommy Gentry – Guitar

Useful Links:
Website: https://gunofficial.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gunOfficialUK/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gunofficialuk
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/gunofficialuk

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

 

Supersuckers announce album details and more tour dates for 2020

Supersuckers announce album details and more tour dates for 2020
PLAY THAT ROCK -N- ROLL
 
The band’s 13th studio album arrives February 7th via Acetate Records
Listen to the single “Ain’t Gonna Stop” HERE
Pre-order HERE
“Ain’t gonna stop until I stop it, Ain’t gonna let it go until I drop it,” growls Eddie Spaghetti on the first track off the Supersuckers 13th studio album, “Play That Rock n’ Roll.”  Tracked over the course of four sweltering days at Willie Nelson’s Austin, TX studio, “Play That Rock n’ Roll” rocks with an amphetamine intensity, delivering muscular riffs, big choruses and more than a few tricks up it’s sleeve.
Raw, immediate and often times hilarious, “Play That Rock n’ Roll’ is the album a band makes after slugging it out on the road for thirty years (barring a one year hiatus while Eddie battled throat cancer).  No frills, no guest stars and no collaborations, the album earns the listener’s ear – the Supersuckers have lived this shit and you can feel it.
Songs like “Bringing It Back” and “Last Time Again” deliver a Ramones-like wall of sound, courtesy of guitarist Metal Marty Chandler, while “You Ain’t The Boss Of Me” recalls Dirty Deeds-era AC/DC – and never one to be taken too seriously, Eddie and company make sure to keep the Supersuckers tongue firmly planted in cheek with “That’s a Thing?” and “Gettin’ Into Each Other’s Pants”.   The album also includes a rousing cover of Michael Monroe’s “Dead, Jail or Rock n’ Roll” and a long overdue revival of the Allen Toussaint penned “A Certain Girl,” which appears as an “unlisted track.”
All in all, “Play That Rock n’ Roll” delivers the middle finger brand of Rock n’ Roll the band has been known for since signing to Sub Pop in the early 1990’s.  Combining the ferocity of Motörhead, the off kilter humor of Cheap Trick and the swagger of Steve Earle, the ‘Suckers earned their spurs playing everywhere from dirt floor dive bars to The Tonight Show. Thirty years later, they still deliver the goods, or in the words of Eddie Spaghetti himself…
“The Supersuckers have been doing this for a long time. A LONG time. And the fact that we’re still doing it is not lost on us. We still love Rock n Roll. I mean, we must. There’s no other explanation for why we would still be putting out fresh, new rock music anymore. No one NEEDS it. Hell, hardly anybody even WANTS it. But here it is. Another master class in quality Rock n’ Roll. Sure it’s for the few, the proud, the People of Impeccable Taste, the Connoisseurs Of Quality but it makes us happy to know we still got it. And we do. We might be better than we’ve ever been and that’s exciting. So here it is, our love letter to good, ass kicking rock n roll. Turn it on, turn it up and listen to the Supersuckers play that Rock n’ Roll!!”
US TOUR DATES:
  • 1/16 – Steamboat Springs, CO @ Schmiggity’s Live Music
  • 1/18 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
  • 1/19 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
  • 1/22 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links Deep Ellum
  • 1/23 – Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room & Garage
  • 1/24 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
  • 1/26- Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
  • 1/29 – Outlaw Country Cruise
* Full European tour starts Feb 7, US dates continue in May 2020

Duncan Reid And The Big Heads / Cyanide Pills / Bruno, The Louisiana, 13th December 2019

Duncan Reid And The Big Heads / Cyanide Pills / Bruno, The Louisiana, 13th December 2019

As this line up was months in advance of the show I know several were disappointed to see White Trash fall off the bill but they were replaced with the maverick that is Bruno & the Outrageous Methods Of Presentation (to give him his full title) this local lad is pushing the boundaries of punk / art/ audio interference call it what you like its often in incoherent racket but to be fair its engaging and as Bruno marches out into the audience and barks the lyrics into the faces of the unsuspecting audience its engaging and you can’t ignore him and what it is he does.  As for the names of the songs I couldn’t telly you and half the time I doubt Bruno could either.  Enjoyable?  Of course it was he was only on stage (in the loosest terms) for a short period and in that time he sounded like a youthful Jilted John (same barber) , Early Stooges and bands like ex ray Spex gone loco jamming on Suicide as a band with no synths in sight just a fistful of 70s garage riffs.  Basic and primal you should all go see Bruno.

Next up and it was the turn of the highly rated much anticipated Yorkshire men that are Cyanide Pills. First up I’d like to declare my admiration for this band by stating on the record that they’ve never ever written a bad song but they have written some of the brightest bestust power pop punk rock tunes and some of the finest lyrics ever in punk rock not just recently but ever! there I’ve said it.  With the results leaving the four of us Welsh tourists venturing across the Severn with our tits on the deck after the last evenings political catastrophic shit shower we decided only rock and Roll could save us and there was nowhere I’d rather be than in the Louisiana tonight  turning my frown upside down and trying to stay positive with some of the fiest bands the UK has to offer.

Right, Cyanide Pills entertain me, pretty please. As if I needed to ask. Right from the top they proceeded to knock out top tune after top tune and then for good measure they dispatch another. With songs pulled from all their albums, its without pause mind, and tonight they were on fire. What you get is some absolutely on point punk rock n roll with some of the best power pop melodies and harmonies ever written. Its power pop with snot , full of clever and intelligent social observational lyrics that are nothing short of genius, I kid you not. With stand in bassist BB Quattro fitting right in  they kicked off with ‘Wrong’ and never looked back. You know the drill its one bosh two bosh three bosh and so on.  Theres no time for chatter its on with the relentless entertainment. ‘up Against The Wall’ seems apt for last nights Election victors. Anyway mustn’t dwell it ‘Mail Order Brides’.

If I had to pick a favourite album I couldn’t but I can pick my favourite tunes and one of them is ‘Dance With You’ and ‘Sliced And Diced’ opens with the epic ‘I Don’t Remember’ and when they chimed up with that this was turning out to be the ultimate post election tonic. They were thundering through the set plucking tunes for all three albums unable to stand still  to enable us to snap many decent pics but fuck it ‘Alone tonight’ tips the hat to the Ramones (of course it does). A lot of bands like to meander their way to the high point of the set before attempting to go out in flames but Cyanide Pills just start high and aim higher coz simply they have the tunes to do it but by the time ‘Can’t Get It up’ rips through the speakers you wonder how they can top it and then ‘Johnny Thunders Lived In Leeds’ struts in like a punk rock peacock (no Leeds pun left unturned) I was going to avoid punctuation and gaps between the words and just blast through (much like the band), I do wonder how they manage to grab a breath between songs and what would happen if they broke a string? it would be carnage. Did they play ‘Apathy’? of course they did.  ‘Still Bored’, ‘Government’ then ‘Suicide Bomber’ and we’re done.  Fan-fuckin-tastic! just what the doctor ordered yet again a suitably smashing set from the best punk rock n rollers anywhere great tunes, great lyrics and great entertainment – follow that!

Duncan Reid & The Big Heads do follow that and with consummate ease.  They’re not the competition but equals and whilst Duncan writes fantastic power pop the dynamics and the sound are poles apart but has the same DNA and another thing they share is they all have tunes!   Kicking off with ‘Can’t Stop’ off ‘Bombs Away’ Duncan commands his big heads and rises to the occasion and the gauntlet laid down by the opening bands. With a new album in the bag Duncan is buoyed and after a quick romp through ‘Soda Pressing’ its a glimpse into the new album with ‘Welcome To My World’.  Now it’s fair to say he’s been at this for a number of years and has seen a thing or two and happened to work with some exceptional songwriters in his time and that time wasn’t wasted as the band take care of the exceptional ‘Lets Skip To The Good Bit’ then its an introduction to some new tunes and one in particular politely entitled ‘Motherfucker’ about a certain Tory politician we are all familiar with that goes down rather well and whets the appetite for the new album.

This line up of Big Heads Duncan has assembled have worked really well together and playing more and more shows is paying dividends and Nicks backing vocals on ‘Rolling On’  sound great much like the chemistry between the band as well.  the minutes are flying by and from ‘Bombs Away’ through ‘Kelly’s Gone Insane’  this is proving to be an immense nights entertainment. the room is jumping by the time ‘C’mon Josephine’ pipes up and the final new song ‘Better Get Them In’ is dispatched. With the clock ticking there’s time for a doff of the cap to previous employers as Nick gets the punters involved on the classic ‘Brickfield Nights’ followed by some high praise for the wonderful songwriting of Honest John Plain from his old pal as ‘Terminal Love’ leaves just one song left before we all have to steal away onto the cold Bristolian cobbles and back home.  The inimitable Mr Reid leaves us for ‘The Last Time’ tonight (other than to run his merch table) after another faultless performance of great songs that fly’s by The curtain falls on 2019s live gigs for me as I try to take it all in and what a way to end the decade with a punk rock n roll show thats up there with the best of them in fact it is the best of them.  Variety, consistency, smiling faces, great tunes what more could you ask for of a gig night?  If in 2020 you get the chance to witness Cyanide Pills and / or Duncan Reid & The Big Heads don’t hesitate or procrastinate just buy your bloody ticket it’ll be a memorable nights entertainment that much is a given.  Brilliant as expected – always a pleasure and never a chore.

Author: Dom Daley

 

Handsome Dick Manitoba – ‘Born In The Bronx’ (Liberation Hall/MVD Entertainment)

Handsome Dick Manitoba – ‘Born In The Bronx’ (Liberation Hall/MVD Entertainment)

Anyone who has ever visited New York has a story to tell about the city, so you can bet your bottom dollar that having lived there all his life Handsome Dick Manitoba has volumes of the buggers just filed away ready to regale you with.

 

Mantitoba’s debut solo album ‘Born In The Bronx’ takes a dozen of these tales and adds a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack (provided by al all-star cast) to truly bring them all to life, and the resulting sound is so authentic you can almost taste the New York City air.  Add in a cover version of P.F. Sloan’s ‘Eve Of Destruction’ to the Big Apple pie and what you have is a 13 track album that Handsome Dick Manitoba has been waiting all of his life to release.

 

With it being 18 years since ‘DFFD’ and 29 years since ‘And You?’ I have to admit a Handsome Dick Manitoba solo record was the last thing I’d expected to be reviewing as 2019 draws to a close. The surprises don’t stop there either as ‘Born In The Bronx’ was actually recorded in Nashville not NYC, thus enabling producer Jon Tiven to draw on the local talent pool of Buddy Miller, Harry Stinson, Beth Hooker, Shannon Pollard, Chuck Mead and Donte M’Shawn alongside the likes of  Mickey Curry, Mat Reale, Simon Kirke and Mike Shrieve who provide a rock solid backbeat throughout.

 

Opener ‘Shelley’ sets the tone of the record perfectly, a rock ‘n’ roll love story that shuffles its way into your heart on 6 inch platform heels it’s a song that is instantly recognisable due to Manitoba’s unique vocal delivery. ‘Back To My TV’ and ‘Surfside’ which fall either side of the faithfully reproduced run through of ‘Eve Of Destruction’ are for me the highlights of ‘Born In The Bronx’ both of them being raw blast of proto-punk that take the Sonics and dresses them up as Dolls. Likewise, ‘Big Army Brass’ is a one finger piano boogie bastard that will have you dancing all night long and ‘Callie May’ sees Manitoba’s songwriting influences extend into late 60s/early 70s Detroit for a truly riotous shindig.  Absolutely breath-taking stuff!

 

After this ‘The Cooker & The Hit’ treads more of a bluesy path whilst ‘Thicker Than Blood’ could very well be a song written for a certain Mr Springsteen, and then there’s the title track which saunters in like The Thin White Duke after spending a weekend missing in the Bronx in the mid 70s, and here Manitoba allows his storytelling to go into overdrive cramming as much history as he can into 3 minutes and 59 seconds.

 

Look I’m not going to do my usual track by track run through here because there is so much to discover within the grooves of ‘Born In The Bronx’ that I’d really like you to go and discover the record the same way that I did. It’s a really up sounding set of songs that’s for sure, and it’s an album that deserves to be played in full and given repeat listens -something quite exceptional in this age of here today gone today one hit wonders.

 

With ‘Born In The Bronx’ the party really does start now!! So go out and get your copy and tell the ‘Soul Punk King of NYC’ that RPM Online sent you.

Buy ‘Born In The Bronx’ Here

Author: Johnny Hayward

 

The Wonder Stuff – O2 Bristol – 12th December 2019

The Wonder Stuff – O2 Bristol – 12th December 2019

The power of hindsight is a wonderful thing and for the most part, my mind was elsewhere today rather than on attending another Stuffies show in 2019 but once I get inside the packed venue I take stock and switch off the outside world and prepare myself to be entertained.  With a fantastic new record, Milo has certainly turned back the clock and tonight he’s promised to turn the clock back a full thirty plus years and dish up a helping of ‘Eight Legged Groove Machine’ and ‘Hup’ as well as some off the new album ‘Better Being Lucky’.

Milo took to the stage and individually introduced the band to the stage Malc Treece, Erika, Mark Gemini Thwait on Guitar and Bass, Pete Howard On Drums and Tim Sewell on Bass milo explained that before the band set about turning the clock back that they would be opening up with some off the new album ‘Better Being Lucky’ and with Mark joining Malc on guitar duty  they opened up with the fantastic ‘Feet To The Flames’ which opens the new album and already it sounds like its been in the set for ever with a familar wonder stuff rhythm and Erika adding her considerable talent all over the song its then into ‘Lay Down Your Cards’ a more gentle number but showing how the band have evolved and are still capable of writing exceptional music. Tonight with the two electric guitars riffing it up ‘No Thieves Among Us’ sounded great with the audience welcoming the new material and considering it was the third new song at the top of the set and their heaviest in a long time this is being brought to the boil nicely. Bringing the end of the new songs (the fifth to be exact) ‘When All Of This Is Over’ the band take to the stage left and announce that that was the end of act 1 and in a short while they would be returning with ‘Hup’.

As you might imagine there would be many in attendance tonight who might have had considerable more hair when this album came out a full 30 years ago!  The Wonder Stuff were about to try and wind the clock back to some of those memorable nights when they were the darlings of the NME and ‘Hup’ hit the indie charts full on and carrying on where ‘eight Legged Groove Machine’ left off Milo had unquestionably improved as a songwriter and possibly written their career defining album.  Me, I still love it and hearing the intro tapes go up for ’30 Years In The Bathroom’ I get the hairs on my arm stood to attention and think back with a beaming smile of times gone by and following the band around on some amazing adventures. By the time we reach ‘Golden Green’ the audience are loosening up and the 40 – 50 year olds throw caution to the wind and gingerly get into the spirit of the evening. Milo (still ) with his mob of curly hair which he throws around to good effect is like the peter pan of indie tonight complete with beaming smile as ‘Cartoon Boyfriend’ sounds as fresh as the first time I heard it.

Milo does comment that by the time ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ chimed in Manchester peaked too early but he had high hopes for Bristol that they had more stamina and he wasn’t wrong. the place was alive as ‘Hup’ cruised to a finale with the brilliant ‘Room 410’.  As we wound the clock back a little further for the thirty first anniversary performance not quite the same as the twentieth or thirtieth but still, totally in keeping with the Stuffies doing it their own way  it was time for the ‘Eight Legged Groove Machine’ portion of the set as the band predominantly stripped back to Mark picking up the bass and milo and Malc sharing guitar duties with Pete still behind the kit it was ‘Red Berry Joy Town’ time and we’re off.

To be fair they played it in sequence and true to the debut album and boy did it sound good. they managed to capture that urgency and vitality that was what ‘Groove Machine’ was about it was youthful and fresh and still to this day reminds me of my youth and seeing a band kick ass not giving two flying fucks what people thought and if you were with them then jump on board they were happy to have you and if you didn’t like em then so what they never gave a fuck but thirty one years later not a lot has changed they still fill decent sized venues and this is their second time around the UK this year and with that new album in tow the Wonder stuff are having it and without much fanfare they seem to be going about their business with purpose and contentment less a lot of the drama from the early years but with a back pocket stuffed with great songs. Tonight saw two albums in their entirety and half a brand new album seamlessly work together and had they played the best of the rest we’d have been there all bloody night.

I started to day dream about some of the amazing shows I’d witnessed in the early years of seeing the band and songs like ‘wish Away’ were great markers. Damn, by the time Milo introduced ‘Ruby Horse’ as the “horsey One” I realised it was almost time and the evening would be done. I didn’t want it to end it had been that good.  Mark and Malc worked well together and Mark fitted right in with the Wonder Stuff 2019 and as the band left the stage again after a spectacular and anthemic ‘Poison’ I realised there had to be an encore as there was one song missing.  It was the obvious encore even if Milo didn’t have his loud hailer at hand it was time for ‘Good Night Though’ and one by one as the song played out they left the stage for a final time that was it 2019 done and dusted there were no awful songs and all that glittered was indeed gold the best line up of the wonder stuff for a long time just tore Bristol a new one.  Can we do it all again next year for the twenty ninth anniversary tour of ‘Never Loved Elvis’  to coincide with the twenty seventh year tour of ‘Modern idiot’ you know it makes sense. why wait? call the bookers, It has to happen. Over and out.

Author: Dom Daley

Bam Ross Joins The Quireboys on US & Australian Tour

Bam Ross Joins The Quireboys on US & Australian Tour

Legendary drummer Bam Ross of Dogs D’Amour fame has joined The Quireboys for the US and Australian legs of their Amazing Disgrace World Tour.  We can think of no better man to have on the sticks while the lads visit some iconic locations including Hollywood, Las Vegas, New York, Salt Lake City, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Due to public demand, further dates have been added to the extensive US tour, with the band now stopping in Merriam Kansas, Corpus Christi Texas, Jefferson New Orleans Louisiana, W Dundee Illinois and Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

In addition, VIP Meet and Greets are now available which will give unprecedented access to the band during soundcheck. The package also includes a souvenir laminate, signed poster and photo opportunities.  These are available to order now from:

https://www.offyerrocka.com/product/the-quireboys-us-tour-vip-meet-n-greet

The US and Australian tour schedule in full :

8th – 13th Feb 2020 MONSTERS OF ROCK CRUISE – Florida
14th Feb 2020 The Boardwalk, Orangevale, USA
15th Feb 2020 Whisky A Go Go, Hollywood, USA
16th Feb 2020 The Parish @ House of Blues, Anaheim, USA
20th Feb 2020 Adelaide, The Gov, AUS
21st Feb 2020 Marrickville – Factory Theatre, AUS
22nd Feb 2020 St Kilda – Prince Bandroom, AUS
23rd Feb 2020 Newstead – The Triffid, AUS
5th March 2020 Vamp’d, Las Vegas, NV, USA
6th March 2020 Liquid Joes, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
7th March 2020 The Venue, Denver, CO, USA
8th March 2020 Aftershock, Merriam, KS, USA
11th March 2020 Warehouse Live, Houston, TX, USA
12th March 2020 Rich’s Billiards, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
13th March 2020 Your Mom’s Place, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
14th March 2020 The Rail Club, Ft Worth, TX, USA
15th March 2020 Southport Hall, Jefferson, LA, USA
17th March 2020 Diamond Music Hall, St Peters, MO, USA
18th March 2020 Rochaus, W Dundee, IL, USA
19th March 2020 Token Lounge, Westland, MI, USA
20th March 2020 Peecox, Erlanger, KY, USA
21st March 2020 The Odeon Concert Hall, Cleveland, OH, USA
22nd March 2020 Hard Rock Café, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
25th March 2020 The Kingsland, Brooklyn, NY, USA
26th March 2020 Jewel Nightclub, Manchester, NH, USA
27th March 2020 Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ, USA
28th March 2020 Vault Music Hall, New Bedford, MA, USA

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Gone But Not Forgotten – Joe Strummer

Gone But Not Forgotten – Joe Strummer

Born John Graham Mellor  on 21 August 1952 in Ankara Turkey to a Scottish mother and Diplomat Father. John had a mixed bag as a kid being shipped off to Boarding School paid for by the state due to his fathers job he spent the next seven years at Boarding school alleging he rarely saw his parents due to his fathers job.

Mellor changed his name in the mid ’70s from Woody (after Woody Guthrie) changing it to Strummer as a way of self deprecation as to his style in the band 101ers .  Upon his insistence the name stuck and how different would the history books have looked no Joe Strummer instead Woody Mellor!

Early ’76 saw an unknown band called The Sex Pistols support the 101ers at the Nashville Rooms, shortly after he was approached by Bernie Rhodes and Mick Jones to join their band that also included Keith Levine, Terry Chimes and Paul Simonon.  It was Paul who named the band just before their July Debut in Sheffield supporting The Pistols and as they say the rest is history.

When the Clash broke up after a whirlwind decade of chaos and destruction and some very high highs and ultimately low lows. After a luke warm solo career and getting dropped by Sony, Strummer spent some time producing the likes of The Pogues and playing a bunch of shows with them as a repecement for Shane McGowan before he put together the Mescaleros.

It wasn’t until the late ’90s that they put out their first album  ‘Rock Art and the X-Ray Style’.  After touring heavily Strummer headed straight back into the studio to record its follow up ‘Global A Go-Go’ for Hellcat Records. After heading back out on tour on  the 15th of November 2002, Strummer and the Mescaleros played a benefit show for striking fire fighters in London, at the Acton Town Hall. Mick Jones was in the audience, and joined the band on stage during the Clash’s ‘Bankrobber’. An encore followed with Jones playing guitar and singing on ‘White Riot’ and ‘London’s Burning’. This performance marked the first time since 1983 that Strummer and Jones had performed together on the same stage stage.  the news that fans had been waiting for seemed like it might become a reality with The Clash reforming and heading out on tour. Strummer’s final gigs were  Liverpool Academy on 22 November 2002, yet his final performance, just two weeks before his death, was in a small club venue ‘The Palace’ in Bridgwater, Somerset, near his home.

Heartbreakingly, Strummer died suddenly on 22 December 2002 in his home at Broomfield in Somerset, the victim of an undiagnosed congenital heart defect.  Strummer was cremated, and his ashes were given to his family. Strummer was instrumental in setting up Future Forests (since rechristened the Carbon Neutral Company), dedicated to planting trees in various parts of the world to combat global warming. Strummer was the first artist to make the recording, pressing and distribution of his records carbon neutral through the planting of trees. In his remembrance, Strummer’s friends and family have established the Strummerville Foundation for the promotion of new music, which holds an annual festival with the same name.

At the time of his death, Strummer was working on another Mescaleros album, which was released posthumously in October 2003 under the title ‘Streetcore’. It was discovered following Strummer’s death that he was an archivist of his own work, having barns full of writings and tapes. Over 20,000 items were stored in the Joe Strummer archive and on 28 September 2018, a 32-song compilation album titled ‘Joe Strummer 001’ was released. The album, which was overseen by Strummer’s widow, Lucinda, and producer Robert Gordon McHarg III, features 32 songs, 12 of which have never been released. The set spans Strummer’s career from the 101ers to the Mescaleros and features some unheard demos from the Clash following the departure of Mick Jones, along with an unreleased song recorded by Jones and Strummer in 1986. The set also features two of Strummer’s final recordings and is one of the best box sets available not just for Strummer or Clash completists its well worth getting hold of..  Joe Strummer will never be forgotten and will always be held up as one of the true musical geniuses and pioneers.  He was responsible for writing and recording some of the best song to come out of the punk scene in the ’70s and always came across as one of the good guys and he’s sadly missed today its hard to believe hes been gone seventeen years.  RIP Strummer you legend.