From the album “Jukebox Junkies” Andy was never shy about wearing his influences on his sleeves. When playing with Hanoi Rocks the group frequently included surprising cover versions among their killer original songs. Now, McCoy taps into the rich musical history that inspired him on his own full-length album of highly addictive covers entitled Jukebox Junkie! Check out the album’s first single and video for a deep cut by ‘80s hitmakers Squeeze, “Take Me I’m Yours!”
Your second offering is from Harlow punk legends Newtown Neurotics who have announced a new album called ‘Cognitive Dissidents’ that will be released through Cadiz Music on October 21. Before that, they have a new single ‘Climate Emergency’, which sees the band focused on one of the most important issues of current times.
Released via Bandcamp to be getting on with, I’m assured it’s also getting a vinyl press on snap! Records (or at least some of them are) On this evidence it richly deserves that vinyl pressing and a whole lot more besides.
Continental Lovers is the workings of former Breakdown band leader Joe Maddox who was busy writing tunes prior to the pandemic and decided to recruit some likeminded band members who had a passion for good time Rock and Roll with a penchant for big choruses like Cheap Trick and a few other notable seventies rock n rollas. A dash of punk Rock snot and a whole heap of attitude and when it’s put together by people who clearly love the music and respect where it’s come from it deserves to rise straight to the top of the pile. Joe has put together a bunch of Trash Rock monsters that are glittering examples of just how to do trashy punk and on this evidence, it won’t be too long before the support slots are the thing of the past and its headline shows in packed venues for The Continental Lovers.
Some of the songs were tested out on the public as demos over the last year or so but the punch of songs like ‘St Joan’ are excellent. short songs with big hooks and no messing about are exactly what’s on offer here. Punching like a heavyweight but these haymakers aren’t random swinging but more lazer-guided jabs to the temple.
Six tracks just about make for side one of an album, but we’ll investigate them one by one, hopefully, we can give them the respect they deserve. None of these tunes overstay their welcome and most nestle around the two-minute mark kicking off with ‘Tape Deck’ which is a sprightly, snotty dust-up where Joe gets on with the job of kicking out the jams with no fucking about. Cool, calm, and right up for it. ‘Really Doesn’t Matter’ has the feel of his old band The Breakdowns with an excellent melody and I love the tone of the guitar break which nails it and pulls the whole tune together. A cool backbeat and some sunshine Rock n Roll blasting through the speakers.
‘Tattered Star’ is Trashy Rock n Roll in all its finery. There’s a familiarity about it like slipping into a well-worn pair of creepers that have some wickedly comfortable insoles for you to bop til you drop. Continental Lovers clearly know where their music comes from and have big enough hearts to use that history and write new songs for the 21st century whilst doffing that gatsby to the past.
‘St Joan’ pays tribute to the Queen of noise – Ms. Jett and they nail the riff to the lyrics and pen a killer song that is fitting someone so cool. I hope she gets to hear it and who knows take these guys out on tour and duet this one cheek to cheek. ‘Can’t Get Her Out Of My Head’ is sub two minutes of 1-2-3-4 hey ho let’s go. It’s got attitude and a cheeky pogo, covered in sweat and just enough snot to satisfy the punks and the glam kids.
Bringing this EP to a swift end is ‘Dale Arden’ which is a thumping way to go out – swinging and bopping and leaving the listener wanting more, more, more. A massively impressive debut offering of six of the best. Continental Lovers can go straight to the top of the class with this EP. It’s everything you could hope to hear. Now get to work on an album and we very much look forward to the record when it hits the shelves later this Summer. Continental Lovers your new favourite Glam Slamming trash Rock n Rollas #Fact! If you get the chance go see em live and when the pre-orders drop for the vinyl record we’ll let you know
Noo Yawk City mutherfuckers! via Old London Town. Mala Vista has released their debut long-playing platter that matters and it’s a slab of Lo-Fi Punk Rock n Roll that’s as much The Boys as it is The HEartbreakers and a whole lotta snot besides. IT’s thirteen grizzly slices of all the meats pizza the action and they’ve nailed that attitude-soaked punk n roll from the lo-fi production that is every bit their identity as the melodies that cut through the airwaves when the needle drops.
From the opening speaker cone splitting treble of ‘Baby So Wasted’ the chaos begins with the cool as fuck guitar breaks that pierce the sound levels and punctuate a rapid slice of Punk n Roll to the Buzzcocks inspired ‘Nowhere To Go’ this album is crammed full of top tunes that ebb and flow very nicely spitting out sweaty salty Punk Rock.
The chest-beating riff-a-rama of ‘Nuclear’ that swiftly goes pogo tastic or the infectious ‘NY Groove’ Mala Vista has got the chops and it’s no wonder they captured the interest of No Front Teeth Records because it’s a perfect collision of like-minded souls.
‘Relegated Lover’ started off like the bastard son of Rebel Rebel with the needle in the red before breaking out into a stonking thumping chest beater. ‘Ole Blue Eyes’ is like one of those magic tunes that drops when you hit the random button on a Wurlitzer in some dive bar far from home, It’ll put a smile on your face and have you raising a glass to the magic of a great tune. ‘Western Beef’ is like the runaway speed train with Chuck Berry at the steering wheel. The album is relentless as ‘Echo’ kicks into ‘Mouth Breeder’ which then spills into ‘Criminal’ with all its wonderful snotty melody it could be a kissing cousin of Los Pepe.
‘Summer Weekend’ is a banger that sounds familiar because it’s got the hallmarks of what’s gone before it from the melody to the chorus – great stuff. ITs a rapid over with in the blink of an eye, punk rock that fuses a whole bunch of top-notch influences together in a bunch of perfectly formed songs from the Ramones to the Boys to Buzzcocks to The HEartbreaers and a whole bunch in between Mala Vista has delivered a banger of a debut album and I suggest you check it out – Pronto!
On 9th September Slade and BMG are proud to present their new smash hit live boxset ‘All The World Is A Stage’, shining a light on Slade as a phenomenal live band. This unique five-album set serves as documentation of why Slade became pretty much unbeatable as a live attraction, Slade were unstoppable throughout the seventies becoming one of Europe’s biggest bands, releasing 6 smash hit albums, including three UK No-1’s, a run of 17 consecutive Top 20 singles and their hits are synonymous with the glam era. This new live boxset includes three never previously released live sets from across Slade’s expansive live era and will become a key component of the Slade catalogue for years to come.
The three previously unreleased live shows featured on ‘All The World Is A Stage’ are –
Live At The New Victoria recorded on April 24, 1975, captures the band before they went around the UK to promote their feature film, In Flame. Heard officially for the first time, it now presents a fitting snapshot of the group’s powerful live performances.
Live At The Hucknall Miner’s Welfare Club recorded on June 26 1980, shows the band unwilling to trade exclusively on their past with songs featured from their new studio album at the time ‘We’ll Bring The House Down’, along with classics ‘Take Me Bak ’Ome’, ‘Gudbuy T’Jane’, ‘Everyday’ and the perennial ‘Mercy Xmas Everybody’.
Alive! At Reading the third unreleased full live set, captures the band delivering a sensational live performance to over 80,000 people. As last-minute replacements for Ozzy Osbourne, few knew they were going to be performing but their sensational set was the highlight of the festival and led to Slade enjoying a renaissance in the eighties. Completing this raw and epic new live box set is previously available; ‘Slade Alive!’ considered one of the greatest live albums of all time, “Sounds better, the louder you play it” – Los Angeles Times, and 1982’s Slade On Stage. ‘All The World Is A Stage’ will be a collector’s item for years to come. Exploring the shows that paved Slade’s journey to their legendary live status within the rock community.
Phillidelphias Chained Bliss first came to our attention back in 2019 with their ‘Stained Red’ cassette EP. This full length album sees the band back on the radar sounding ready for action and up for the fight.
Punk Rock with Melodic guitar lines jaring power chords, while frantic choruses. ITs got plenty of bite and roar as well and is set to get your pulse rate up.
Chained Bliss come from a base of garage rock, skateboards, and a scene we relate to the likes of a lot of So Cal punks. There is clearly a love of thrashing around making noise and living for the moment. From the thump of the bass line on opener ‘Nonfiction’ there’s confidence happening here and I like it! ‘Devils Laughter’ is more of the same with a great tempo that helps ramp up the vibes. It also contains a smart breakdown in tempo that is welcome.
It’s not all banger after banger mind, however, the cool opening on ‘Creative Seizure’ reminds me of prime-time Fugazi and if they’re channeling that kind of smarts then the future is bright, very bright. ‘Pillars of Abuse’ starts with a cool groove that helps catch your breath but you can feel the tempo rising as the drums get louder we’re barely a minute in when the circle pit opens up and you can’t wait to throw your carcass in for more brain banging punk rock but it does ebb and flow like the best of the Banshees used to.
‘Inner Citadel’ bumps into the excellent ‘Ominous Life’ and the party continues. hit after hit of energy washes over you. It’s basically ten tracks of the very highest standard punk rock you could wish for. Some great melodies and breakdowns all add to the thrill of what an LP should sound like.
This is a band and an album that should be taken into the hearts of punk rock kids everywhere it’s a great LP and one that deserves to be cherished long and hard everywhere. they’re probably too modest to say it but I’m not – this record is all killer and no filler and banger after banger in the youfs language get out there and check em out! before they blow up and you’ll be too cool to listen. They saved the best til last as well with the final three offerings being the best tracks on this album ‘Drifter’, ‘Mirrors’ and ‘Stained Red’ – bloody great stuff!
A single launch show next Friday 15th July Camden Assembly with Healthy Junkies/Kyran Thrax/DJ Pete Fox.
‘No More Good News’ was written after hearing that Tom Petty had died. David Bowie was lost the year before…two of the band’s musical heroes. ‘We lost many before them, and of course, there was to be more after them.’ Tom Petty’s Album & Song‘Wild Flowers’ is referenced in the song.
A single launch show will be held at the Camden Assembly on the 15th of July with special guests Healthy Junkies. The band are currently collaborating with Eater main man Andy Blade, after meeting at a recent Wasted Youth gig. A London show on the 26th October in celebration of Cleopatra records 30th anniversary has just been announced where the band will be Andy’s back up band playing ‘Ant’ in its entirety. Also on the bill Jah Wobble, who will be playing ‘Metal Box’ in dub for the fist time & 999.
New rock outfit UMBILICUS have released their first single, called “Hello Future”, from their debut album “Path of 1000 Suns”. The group is made up of CANNIBAL CORPSE drummer/lyricist Paul Mazurkiewicz, guitarist Taylor Nordberg (DEICIDE, INHUMAN CONDITION), bassist Vernon Blake (ANARCHUS, NAPALM DEATH-live), and vocalist Brian Stephenson (FORE, OLD JAMES). Though the band members are active in the metal community, the quartet put their love of 60’s and 70’s rock into an album of hard rock, drawing influences ranging from GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, AEROSMITH, LUCIFER’S FRIEND, SCORPIONS, LED ZEPPELIN.
A slick half dozen and some tunes this month but they are some of the finest of their genres and singles that need hearing. From Gospel to Hardcore we love em all. Can I get an Amen! now don’t waste time get on em.
Steve Conte – ‘Wildwood Moon’ (Wicked Cool Records) Another track off the stunning ‘Bronx Cheer’ album Available Here If you are not familiar maybe now is the time. Check out this video and then get on the album in all its glory.
The Chisel – ‘Deconstructive Surgery EP’ (LA VIDA ES UN MUS DISCOS) – Now already on its umteenth press this five-track EP is kicking up a shitstorm and if you’ve never heard of this yob crew of hardcore noise then please explain where you’ve been the past 12 months? ‘Class Oppression’ is like a swift kick in the bollocks before being headbutted through the saloon doors just seconds before the pile on that is ‘Blackpool20’ – unbridled energy like a swift intake of breath before having your head thrust back underwater – its a frantic rush but boy does it sound good?
Of course there isn’t a bad song on here, there isn’t time. They even have an anthem to assault you with ‘Chisel Boys’ will get the job done – of that there is no doubt. What a banger of an EP Buy it Here
Tramp – ‘Jailbait’ (Wanda Records) With lyrics that’ll make your nan blush Tramp aren’t shy coming forward. Viki Venom, Suzi Sleeze and Joey Deuce from New Hampshire in the US of A play Snotty garage punk’n’roll with a raunchy back beat and sleazy lyrics they made up at the bus stop whilst blowing bubbles with their Hubba bubba gum. They don’t want to hang with the cool kids because they are the cool kids.
They might not be the Lunachicks but I’m sure they are looney chicks – in a PC world Tramp are so un PC and proud of it ‘All I Want’ is punk as fuck with a pogo-tastic chorus that sounds like it was recorded in one take because A they nailed it and B they couldn’t be arsed to do another anyways because they had better things to do innit. Pick it up Here
The Amplifier Heads – ‘Space Cadet’ (Rum Bar Records) Always delivering quality bands from their HQ in Boston Rum Bar have another 45 that just rocks out like the best secret party anywhere on this spinning globe. Handclaps, distorted rock n roll riffs, happy smiling people everywhere. The Amplifier Heads kick ass! then ‘Two Headed Girl’ is like a twist on Tom Petty and his heartbreakers just kicking out the jams. Sal Baglio has got the chops kids and this EP is three tracks to tempt you in and shake your shit to. Love the guitar lick on on ‘Earth Girls On The Loose’ it short sharp and right on the money. Go check it out and tell em RPM sent you I’m sure Lou will welcome you in like an old friend and pour you a big one! – Rockin and a rollin here
Soul Glo – ‘Gold Chain Punk’ (Epitaph Records) From the album ‘Diaspora Problems’ The music video satirizes the frustrations of being lumped together with other bands and artists due to the colour of their skin when individually, they hold it down on their own. Vocalist Pierce Jordan, one of AV Club’s ‘20 Best Frontpeople In Modern Rock,’ explains, “If you’re a Black person who is into any kind of hard rock, you’ve probably had a white person try to talk to you about Bad Brains. We are constantly compared to them. Apparently, I even look like HR. Can I fuckin live?” The band hit the uk for a string of dates starting in London on September the 7th and ending on the 16th again in London. hit em up and check out the album now. https://soulglo.ffm.to/diasporaproblems
The Future Shape Of Sound – ‘Paradise City’ (Gypsy Hotel) Now that’s how to do a cover version. Yes, it is indeed the Guns n Roses big hitter that is ‘PAradise City’ but hell yeah! this version is what Guns and Roses could never have birthed. from the jungle beats to the funked-up guitar lick right up to the amazing Gospel chorus vocals this is a revelation brothers and sisters.
Captain Future’s Rock’n’Roll Gospel phenomenon that is The Future Shape Of Sound will be out on Gypsy Hotel on Friday 15th July as download and CD including 4 live bonus tracks. The other cover is a take of the Urban Voodoo Machine classic that is ‘Help Me Jesus’ that the y take ownership of releasing their own twist on this barnstorming tune has this down as the record of the week hands down. performed at last year’s magical Red Rooster Festival, all songs featuring the captivating voice of one of the most exciting soul singers in the U.K. today Miss Divalee Wells! superb release and songs. Facebook
Sator – ‘Shimmy Shake’ (Wild Kingdom) Lifted from their brand new album of covers Sator gives classic Devo a rockin make-over and does it so well. Yeah, the Devo synth drills are there and the melody holds up. It’s in the 30s outside as I type and nothing sounds as good as this bubblegum power-pop stab at some Devo it’s cool and refreshing and totally fresh just what the doctor ordered.
Here Hare Here – ‘Chez Liam’ (Lux Noise) The home of Basle noise makers Bitch Queens and The Brokendolls you can now add Here Hare HEre to that list of top-notch noise makers. check out their brand new video ‘Chez Liam’ and get down to some hot trashy garage rock n roll
A CAREER SPANNING PLAYLIST FEATURING NEW & LOST RECORDINGS
Streaming on Spotify now
Manic Street Preachers have posted the second in a series of career spanning Spotify playlists specially curated by the band.
Sleep Next To Plastic focuses on the cover versions Manic Street Preachers have performed over the years. It includes new/lost recordings, B-sides and album tracks. Fifteen of the covers have previously been unavailable officially through streaming services; the version of Madonna’s Borderline was recorded in the band’s Door To The River especially for this playlist.
Covers have away been central to Manic Street Preachers ethos, whether playing raw versions of Happy Mondays or Clash songs at early gigs or adding inspirational classics written by Guns N’Roses or Echo and the Bunnymen to recent live shows.
Manic Street Preachers on Sleep Next To Plastic: “Cover version have always offered us a chance to pay direct, public tribute to records we grew up obsessing over, be that C86 bands or artists as diverse as Madonna, John Cale and Paul Robeson. Collectively, these covers are a heartfelt musical tribute to our formative influences.”
This years “Bitch Fest” line up! 6 bands, 2 stages, weird and freaky stuff to discover – just one night of pure punk-rock madness. Tickets are up for sale now for a more than fair price of 32CHF (about 30€) here: https://www.seetickets.com/ch/tour/bitch-fest-v
Wanna give some extra love? Then be sure to buy a “Bitch Love”-Ticket. They recommend to party hard through the night with DJ Danny Ramone to save money for drinks. But if you need a good place to stay close by then ibis budget Basel City is probably the easiest and cheapest way to go.
Ahhhhh, Towers Of London, the band whose singer once proudly proclaimed they could dick on the Sex Pistols are back. Returning with their first new music in ages, and the first to feature the band’s re-united original ‘classic’ line up.
Yes siree, after those well received support shows with The Wildhearts back in 2019, Donny, Dirk, Rev, Snell, and Tommy are finally back with ’Yet To Be’, an all-new 5 track EP that’s coincidently released in the same month as, (and sixteen years after) their classic ‘Blood Sweat & Towers’ debut first made them the band many seemed to love to hate back in the noughties.
I’ll include myself in that category as I’ve had my own love/hate relationship with them through the years too, initially catching them in Cardiff Barfly around 2005 and absolutely loathing them, Towers then seemed to end up supporting every band I was going to see, before around the time of the release of their debut I finally “got it” and simply couldn’t get enough of them. Then, just as quickly as the band they so famously thought they could dick on, they were out of the spotlight and releasing the way too Indie leaning. ‘Fizzy Pop’ (the band’s second album), and whilst that record does indeed still have some fans out there, without Rev and Snell in their ranks they just weren’t the same incendiary live act, and without that underlying tension that seemed to be the band’s catalyst for musical catastrophe, the band slowly withdrew into the shadows.
Somewhere they then ended up spending quite a bit of their time, working with various other musicians exploring potential new avenues for the band to pursue musically and releasing such singles as ‘Shake It’ and ‘Shot In The Dark’ along the way. Then in 2019 news finally broke that the original line up was getting back together for one last crack at this thing called the music biz. Returning as a much more ‘grounded’ group of people, the thing that perhaps struck me most about those Wildhearts support shows was just how much each member appeared to have grown up during their time apart, and Donny in particular seemed genuinely humbled not only by the enthusiastic reception they received night after night but also by just how powerful the band still sounded after all those years away.
‘Yet To Be’ picks up on the spirit of bonhomie from those reunion shows and actually includes a couple of the tunes from that set too, however it’s the track that’s recently been included in TNT’s ‘Animal Kingdom’ series that gets the EP out the starting blocks and for me it’s perhaps the track I actually like least here. That’s not to say it’s a bad song, it’s just that to my ears the anthemic ‘Jump’ actually sounds like ‘Fizzy Pop’ era Towers colliding headlong with the Rev’s post-Towers band The Howling, and whereas elsewhere within this EP elements of electronica are used to superb effect to ultimately add a new dynamic to the Towers sound, here, whilst the synthy tribal beat is insanely catchy, it doesn’t really make me want to err jump…not like ‘Get Yourself Outta Here’ anyway. Initially premiered on the Wildhearts tour, this is the Towers of London sound I first fell in love with, a ferocious slice of guitar rock, complete with one-finger Stooges piano and a sneering chorus, this track alone should have the band’s diehard fans drinking, fighting and fucking like there teenage-selves all over again.
Likewise, ‘Free Your Love’, the other track that was aired live back in 2019, which has a kind of ‘Towers Waltz’ stop/start feel about it, and possesses a soaring middle 8 that shows just how much the band has also matured in the songwriting department. Something that becomes abundantly clear when ‘Push It The Same Way’ chugs in on a powerpop riff to die for. This is easily my favourite song of the five on offer here, and whilst there are hints of the Towers of old during the chorus, it’s the use of the aforementioned synths during the verses that really do make this song a true work of genius, and if this is the sound of things to come from the band then, just like Noddy, I’m all (big) ears.
‘Amazing’ which ends the EP is another Towers songwriting curveball, as it somehow manages to remind me of Blur, Abba, Ozzy and U2 all at once, yet it’s still immediately recognisable as Towers Of London, and the chorus on this one really is, ahem, amazing in its simplicity, and as well know now, sometimes less can indeed be more.
True to Towers’ form ‘Yet To Be’ surprised me, so much so I initially hated it, and now (after a day of playing it non-stop) I absolutely love it, however, as it’s only available on streaming platforms at the moment, who really knows what’s next? Will we get to finally hear the third album, or get to see the long overdue Towers’ documentary, and with the UK live scene slowly returning to as normal as it can be right now, what about a coast to coast tour to promote it all?
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