The Hate Tape – Four Track EP (Self Release)

The Hate Tape – Four Track EP (Self Release)

A collection of four tracks recorded during lockdown by former and current members of The Hip Priests, TV Crime and Mannequin. Ben, Austin, Sid, Joe and Nathan, recorded these four tracks that Von Cruz had written, with no rehearsal at all and smashed them out in a few hours with the result that those lucky enough to purchase this here Hate Tape. Of course it’s limited to 50 copies. It’s not on vinyl or digital but on the ladies format – The bloody cassette tape. They might be all gone by the time you’re reading this but it’s worth a try christ of course it’s worth a try, it’s fan-fuckin-tastic.

Hipster fuckers knocking it out on tapes I guess that’ll piss off the vinyl illite how dare they use a dead format (or are they ahead of the curve? With every man and his mother out buying a record player maybe the Cassette isn’t just for the ladies but hip as fuck and something you can fit in your back pocket instead of a phone and plug this racket into a snazzy walkman and get fired up on Hate.

‘Some Of My Brothers Only Have One Speaker’ is Red Bull amphetamine Rock and Fucking Roll kids (Hell it’s all full-throttle what else would you expect?) It should carry a warning sticker and should be approached with caution. No, not because it’s shit but because it might blow your speaker. Of course, it’s fantastic why the fuck wouldn’t it be? As it’s lo-fi it’s also a sonic stick of dynamite. ‘Disgraceland’ is like having your skull rattled with a baseball bat, intense and pummeling would be a few apt adjectives.

Von Cruz and Austin Rocket go back before the Hip Priests when they rattled fillings with Gods Chosen Dealers and Ben is now also a Hip Priest so they have a great understanding anyway. Nottingham bands cross-pollinate big time here which I guess helps when jumping in on these tunes, it certainly helps reach these energy levels.

‘Little Johnny Thunders Is A Motormouth’ is a tub-thumping banger! It’s got a filthy amount of riff-a-rama and rocks like a bastard of the highest order. An absolute masterclass it is too and has some awesome guitar wankery to complement the manic rhythm section that’s like a runaway train and I love it, Joe is the prince of pound, make no mistake.

I have a hunk of burning love for this tape and if there’s more to come Mr Von Cruz then get it pressed up the world needs more Von Cruz and his Hate tunes right here right now and the less produced and more fired up the better now fuck off because I need to turn the tape over and get a sonic sorting and a brain full of more of this here Hate. 10 out of 10 no doubt about it!

Hit up Nathan Here to see if there are any left.

Author: Dom Daley

Bad Actors – ‘Black Static’ (Sioux Records)

Bad Actors – ‘Black Static’ (Sioux Records)

Bad Actors released their album on Sioux Records who have previously released the excellent albums last year from Richard Bacchus and The Yowl who both made my best of albums for 2021. Bad Actors was supposed to come out a while back and what with covid etc the can got kicked down the line and delays with one thing or another means it’s only now getting a vinyl release but it’s limited so don’t snooze.

So what do they sound like? well, it’s a Rock and Roll record in the time-honored traditions of The Heartbreakers and Joneses but the vocals have much in common with The Humpers.

Hell, it’s a loud sloppy old-school punk Rock n Roll record. It’s buzzing with energy from the first note of ‘Steal Your Heart’ to the final refrain of ‘Cold Mercy’. Ten tracks of really good noise.  When you hear influences like The Candy Snatchers and Humpers then you know it’s got to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

‘Eyes On Top’ is a scuzzy slow rumbling rocker with low-fi vocals delivered with a bit of menace that meanders to the chorus where you get hushed piano tinkling the time-honored stooges one finger fuck you honky tonk whilst the guitars just kick out the jams like the Nomads. There’s tub-thumping into a Heartbreakers slog on ‘Anthem’ of course it’s called Anthem why wouldn’t it be? Imagine you’re in a beer stained club, it’s late you’ve had one beer too many and someone hands you a large glass of Jager shots and then the dry ice hits you and the speakers crank out some ear-shattering bad boy boogie and ‘Backfire’ creeps out of the speakers and you can’t help but get involved well ‘Black Static’ does that and some.

‘Pale Rider Dark Horse’ sounds live in the studio with a cool lick on the intro before the whole band kicks up a shitstorm much like Chelsea Smiles. These cats can Roll with their Rock and its powerful stuff. It’s got attitude aplenty and they have a fantastic sleazy sound its like a muscle car with plenty of grunt and a middle digit in your face but once you familiarise yourself with it then you will be the best of friends.

Man there’s even time to wind up some psychedelic riff-a-rama on ‘Who Knows Why’ but once it gets going it’s top drawer stuff. ‘Off My Head’ is sleazy power pop at its finest mashing up old school 50-60s pop with Punk attitude and rounded off with handclaps and boogie piano. What’s not to like? Man as we head into the final fling of this record we get some Detroit-like riffs on ‘Sister Slowdown’ that will rival anything out of Sweden – honestly. The pace is taken down for the final fling as ‘Cold Mercy’ is sinister menacing Rock n Roll.

So when I say these are limited to 300 pieces on white vinyl don’t waste time – if the postage from further afield than the USA is your problem I suggest you check out their other releases and pick them up and discover a new label that supplies the most excellent punk rock and roll records.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Chubby & The Gang with new video and EP

Chubby & The Gang with new video and EP

Chubby and the Gang have shared a new EP entitled ‘Labour of Love’, featuring three brand new songs, as well as a music video for lead single ‘Who Loves Ya (Coup d’état)‘. Labour of Love is available now digitally, and a special picture disc 7″ is available to pre-order now (HERE). Steve Lamacq premiered ‘Who Loves Ya (Coup d’état)’ on his BBC 6Music show yesterday evening.

The video for ‘Who Loves Ya (Coup d’état)’ was filmed and edited by the band’s tour manager, Ted Foster. Frontman Charlie Manning Walker says of the song: “We had the idea to do a Valentine’s Day single and I sort of wanted to show all the angles of love. Warts and all. Quite often it’s not such a smooth experience. Can often feel scary and insane. So I wanted to write a bubblegum song about it but also show the duality of the emotion.

Chubby and the Gang released their acclaimed second album – The Mutt’s Nuts – last year via Partisan. The album was produced by Jonah Falco of Fucked Up, and was featured on year-end lists by Rough Trade and Kerrang! (“uncompromising Brit-punk anthems”). It also earned them a spot touring with Turnstile in the UK, which they just wrapped up. Chubby and the Gang will tour throughout 2022, full dates HERE. US headline touring is set to be announced soon.

The Mutt’s Nuts followed the band’s surprise 2020 critical hit, Speed Kills. Thanks to an unrelentingly fun concoction of hardcore, pub rock, doo wop, and blues, the album cemented them as leaders in a pack of new bands coming out of a new wave of British Hardcore. Alongside classic rock and roll themes of love and loss, their lyrics are rooted in worker’s rights, inequality, police brutality, government failure and gentrification – issues that are built into the fabric of the UK, and magnified in the English capital.

The Shunkos – The Bunkhouse, Swansea – 05.02.22

The Shunkos – The Bunkhouse, Swansea – 05.02.22

A packed out club, sweaty drunk young people awaiting some punk rock hot off the press from Aberavon – it must be Shunko time. Heavily influenced by the lofi punk rock spewing out of the Southern Hemisphere The Shunkos have taken their lad culture and fast food obsession to the next level. ‘Meal Deal’,’Uni Mate’ and songs about bus wankers and late-night kebabs are sung back at the band by an enthusiastic audience of nerdowells intent on having a good time all of the time. It was quickly turned into a sweaty heaving mass of bodies as the band plowed on at 100 miles an hour duly held together by the Ryan boys in the rhythm section.

Frontman Mal should be called (Maladjusted) has taken control of his building site humour and spits out the words like he’s been doing this all his miserable life ‘Beer & Gear’, ‘Chippy Tea’ sounds like a one way trip to A & E but he’ll have a shed (Dermans Shed) full of new lyrics along the way.

It’s clear The Chats, Amyl And The Sniffers, Chubby & The Gang and other such punks are the go-to inspiration for these punks who also inject some surf punk into their sound and bounce around harder and faster as the songs dictate. They need to get out there and play with the likes of Pizzatramp, Slugfest and Wonk Unit it would see them go from Boys to Men and put their punk rock credentials to the test. One thing for sure is the more they play the tighter they sound and the better they get and the new songs are proof of that. Get that CD released and get out there and show the world that South Wales can do hardcore punk with the best of them.

The fact nobody under the age of 25 looked remotely grossed out as Mal took a slug of beer from someone’s sweaty slip-on van told you everything about what to expect on a shunkos night out, ‘Whats In The Box’ and ‘Big Bertha’ sounded like these ‘Little Bastards’ are on the right track to perfecting the new punk scene out of South Wales . Songs about bus rides, meal deals, favourite Currys, young lust, having a good time makes for a top Saturday night out these party animals are all about living in the moment and under such troubled times maybe now is the right time for a party, and the Shunkos are exactly what the doctor ordered for a good time, all the time. Go see em if they turn up in your town and don’t be afraid to throw yourself around just don’t lose your shoe or the singer (cough cough) will use it as his drinking horn ‘punk as fuck’ – ripper!

Author: Dom Daley (oldest in attendance by about 30 years)

Pete Stride & Honest John Plain Hit the charts with video for ‘Laugh At Me’.

Pete Stride & Honest John Plain Hit the charts with video for ‘Laugh At Me’.

As the world and his wife are slowly creating a new normal and us rock n rollers are seeing shoots of recovery, Pete Stride & Honest John Plain celebrate by entering the Heritage charts with ‘Laugh At Me’ lifted from their album ‘New Guitar In Town’. You can play the song and album on streaming site Spotify Here. It still sounds as fresh as a daisy with the happy-go-lucky piano tinkling along with the great hook and melody you’d expect from these Rock and Rollers.

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Originally recorded and produced by Sonny Bono “Laugh at Me” was Sonny Bono’s only hit song as a solo artist under the name Sonny back in 1965. Pete Stride from The Lurkers’ and John Plain of The Boys decided to play together and the result is the 1980 album ‘New Guitar in Town’. “Laugh At Me” is the only single from the album and was released in 1980.

A Hit on the UK Heritage Chart – www.heritagechart.co.uk

Alongside Honest John Plain on guitars/vocals & Pete Stride – guitars/vocals were Jack Black (The Boys) on drums, Mick Talbot (Merton Parkas/Style Council) on keyboards, Howard Wall (The Lurkers) – vocals, Pete ‘Plug’ Edwards (Lurkers roadie) on vocals/harmonica and Tony Bateman – bass/vocals.

The Single (and album) was given its first-ever digital release (on Spotify, i-tunes etc) this past January. Mike Read has started to play it on his breakfast show and it has just entered the UK Heritage Chart yesterday (Sunday 13 Feb) at Number 30.

THE ROSE OF AVALANCHE ‘AT THE BBC’ Vinyl pressing & live dates with The Mission

THE ROSE OF AVALANCHE ‘AT THE BBC’ Vinyl pressing & live dates with The Mission

Rewind to early 1985. Having yet to play a gig, a fresh-faced, ragtag, band of friends found themselves in the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios recording their own John Peel session.  

Despite being young, naive, and still learning their craft, right from the off The Rose of Avalanche were churning out finely tuned slabs of sleazy, guitar-driven goth rock that belied their age and experience. Peel loved them, and followed the session by placing the band’s first single “L.A. Rain” at number 26 in his 1985 Festive 50, above songs by The Cure, The Smiths and The Sisters of Mercy. Guitarist Glenn quipped “John Peel really liked us, but then again he also thought that Teenage Kicks by The Undertones was the greatest song ever written”  

From there the bands next four singles dominated the UK Independent Charts. “Goddess” matched the chart-topping debut “L.A. Rain” and was named Single of The Week by Sounds, “Too Many Castles In The Sky” went Top 5, followed by “Velveteen” and “Always There”, with The Rose invited back to The BBC to record a second session, this time for Janice Long.  

Head of Chapter 22, Dean Brown said:  

“We are delighted to have Rose of Avalanche join our exciting  roster of bands at Chapter 22 Records. They bring with them the heritage and swagger of the 1980’s and join a list of bands they know well from that time. The ‘’BBC Sessions’ sound fantastic and we can’t wait to bring them to you this autumn”  

Available for the first time since the original radio broadcasts some 30 years ago, this album contains all the tracks from their two BBC sessions, capturing the excitement and creative force of a band on the cusp of hitting the big time.  

Various rumours of a reunion surfaced over the intervening years, and in August 2019 the band finally announced it was reforming the original line up. The reaction to The Rose’s triumphant return was overwhelming, and history repeated itself with the band being offered headline gigs in the UK and Europe and confirmed as main support for the UK leg of The Mission’s upcoming UK Tour.  

The band will play a handful of intimate gigs this November to promote the release of the album, and are looking forward to hitting the road with The Mission again in Spring 2022.  

2022 Dates with The Mission  

Thursday April 14th, Manchester, Ritz  
Friday April 15th, Newcastle, City Hall  
Saturday April 16th, Glasgow, Barrowlands  
Sunday April 17th, Leeds, O2 Academy  
Tuesday April 19th, Nottingham, Rock City  
Wednesday April 20th, Birmingham, O2 Academy  
Thursday April 21st, Bristol, O2 Academy  
Friday April 22nd, London, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire  
Saturday April 23rd, London, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire  

Tickets: Here  

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Slash ft Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – ‘4’ (BMG Rights Management)

Slash ft Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – ‘4’ (BMG Rights Management)

The word legend gets thrown around quite a lot but when it comes to Slash it definitely is justified as you would have to have lived under a rock for years not to have heard of the guitar slingers feral rock’n’roll band Guns N’ Roses which launched the guitarist into the public eye all those years ago but Slash is no one-trick pony and has released quality music with his own bands Slash’s snakepit, Velvet revolver and now the Conspirators.

So let’s get stuck into album 4.

The album’s first track roars out of the speakers and is titled “The river is rising” and it’s got a killer riff that is an instant earworm.

Up next we have “Whatever gets you by” that starts off with a nice rhythmic drum pattern before bass and guitars come crashing in and Myles’s voice soars beautifully over the top and this is another gem of a track.

“C’est la vie” is a hypnotic track with an instantly catchy melody and infectious chorus that will surely make this a crowd favorite when played live.

“The path less followed” and “Actions speak louder than words” are both great rockers that keep the album flowing nicely.

“Spirit Love” is a standout with a middle eastern sounding riff that drags the listener in and as always Myles vocals are on top form.

Just when you think how can this album get any better “Fill My world” pops up and is this reviewers personal favorite off this great album as it’s reminiscent of that classic GNR song “Sweet child of mine” with a gorgeous melody but never falls into the rehash category and sounds so fresh and vibrant.

“April Fool” and “Call off the dogs” are rollicking rock songs that keep this fast-paced album rattling along.

All great things must come to an end and what a way to finish off this triumphant album with the stunning “Fall back to earth” which is nearly 6 and a half minutes of pure musical bliss with epic guitar heroics and vocal gymnastics.

Slash with Myles Kennedy and the conspirators can hold their collective heads up high as album ‘4’ is quality from start to finish and is an album that just gets better with every listen.

Buy Here

Author: Gareth ‘Hotshot’ Hooper

The Drin – ‘Engines Sing for the Pale Moon’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

The Drin – ‘Engines Sing for the Pale Moon’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Imagine Joy Division forming and releasing a record in 2022 with the primitive Bauhaus bass thump and cymbal snap on the hypnotic ‘Guillotine Blade’ Vocals like a tape recorder memo to self part spoken part sung in hushed tones whilst industry hammers away on some Dub tip. It’s dark, unnerving, cold and painting a hundred portraits in my mind ‘Down Her Cheek A Pearly Tear’ is like a primitive Bunnymen explosion mixing up some post-punk from the clashing acoustic chords to the drum rolls all building to the chaotic end – great stuff indeed.

‘Sense Of Occasion’ is like cold concrete written in Black & White playing out in a laid-back Dub echoing chamber never breaking out of the almost horizontal rhythm it sounds huge when turned up as the dry bass line rattles of the painted walls.

originally released as a limited cassette via Future Shock I’m glad Drunken Sailor pressed it on vinyl and it came across my horizon otherwise I’d never have had the pleasure. It’s dark and cold and intimidating and uneasy at times but in a way, all of that makes for a warm comforting record as well which is a strange juxtaposition and one that could really fuck with you but ultimately the song will win you over. ‘Fate In Disguise’ is as bleak as anything Joy Division ever recorded.

‘For The Tsarina’ had it been released forty years ago would have seen these guys compete with McCulloch and the likes of the Teardrop Explodes for column inches in melody maker and sounds and had Ian Brown sang on the closing track ‘The Creek At Sundown’ people would be raving about it. Nine tracks of modern, retro post-punk

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Pack Rat – ‘Glad To Be Forgotten’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Pack Rat – ‘Glad To Be Forgotten’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

The driving keyboard is what will get you in the end. Insanely catchy as the songs drive on mowing down everything in its wake. It’s like hypnosis through punk rock. ‘A Casual Death’ is anything but. Christ pre-pandemic (remember that?) there was a band out of Vancouver called The Corner Boys and they released one fantastic album then split. Another great record was Chain Whips well since Covid drummer/songwriter Patrick McEachnie has stayed as active as possible using his time to great effect by picking up a guitar and playing. Basically, he made an excellent record all on his own, and if you were paying any attention to his other releases you will know. Those who do just simply know what to expect, sure, of course, this is fucking right up there flat out excellent.

‘Coming After You’ is rapid and right to the point. Making a racket and finger-wagging and full of menace. The title track is a tub-thumping cross between some bedroom homage to the UK Subs and Tubeway Army it’s the synth that’s humming away throughout as the guitars sound like a twenty-year-old Tascam four-track at best only adds to the intensity and manic feel.

‘Two Sides Of Your Heart’ is akin to Chubby And The Gang in some ways – just thrashing away around a hypnotic melody and a blitzkrieg keyboard solo that is a face melter. The record isn’t hanging around either bopping til it drops with songs around the one and a half to two minutes long. Kick-off turn in an awesome melody – kick the listener in the tits then fuck off. Jobs a good un- Next!

When the tempo is turned down a shade (‘I’m No Sustitute’) it’s a killer with a twisted melody and that fuzzed-up synth. It’s not new at all, it’s not big or clever and it’s nothing to write home about if you’re after a polished modern production. Its infectious, banger after banger – twisted melodies layered upon thrashing guitars and monotonous melodies playing with your head. You know you like it but you haven’t the foggiest why? Is it the ripping pace? The Melodies? the mindless pogotastic beat? is it the Ramones love in of ‘Lost Cause’ and ‘Stay Away From Me’ reminding you what it was like to fall in love with punk rock? Of course, it’s all of it. A top tune is a top tune no matter what style it’s done in.

Hell, that was a blast! Ten songs in twenty-something minutes – perfect punk rock for the masses. Now how do we get to the masses? People need a face full of this DIY bad boy as soon as possible. Quality record – just buy it!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Killing Joke – ‘Lord Of Chaos’ EP and live dates

Killing Joke – ‘Lord Of Chaos’ EP and live dates

AS THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK HITS 100 SECONDS TO MIDNIGHT, THE ORIGINAL KJ LINE-UP ANNOUNCES THE:

‘LORD OF CHAOS’ EP

FIRST NEW MATERIAL IN 7 YEARS

KILLING JOKE confirms that all hope is probably lost (or at least missing) with their first new studio material in over seven years…

Enter the ‘LORD of CHAOS’ EP – two brand new recordings, plus two re-workings of songs from the confrontational UK band’s last studio album, ‘Pylon’ (2015).

“I’ve never known anything like the time we are living in now; not since the Cuban Missile crisis but now in comparison we have multiple flashpoints. Lord of Chaos is about complex systems failure when technology overloads and A.I. misreads the enemies intentions.” – Dr Jaz Coleman. 

To support and celebrate the arrival of new music, Killing Joke are set to undertake their first UK run in over three years, 2022’s Honour The Fire tour.

This11 date tour will start with a just-announced intimate warm-up show at the Frog & Fiddle in Cheltenham on Sunday, March 27th; it will conclude in London at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith on Saturday, April 9th which is being filmed.

Killing Joke is very much music as ritual – raw, uncompromising and precisely-targeted lyrically; and Dr Jaz Coleman, Geordie, Youth, and Big Paul, founding fathers of the group and an ongoing influence on both alternative music and (counter) culture in general, show absolutely no signs of mellowing. 

With collective nostrils flared and righteous anger carried torch-high, The Fourcontinue to take their music of resistance to fresh levels.

Consider yourself warned.

* * * * 

The full list of ‘Honour The Fire’ UK 2022 shows.

The Imbeciles are supporting on all dates (except Cheltenham) and Brix Smith is the special guest in London.

March 2022

27th    Sun         Cheltenham     Frog & Fiddle 

28th       Mon        Cardiff        Tramshed

29th        Tue        Nottingham    Rock City

31st    Thu        Bristol        O2 Academy 

April 2022

1st    Fri        Liverpool    O2 Academy

2nd     Sat        Birmingham    O2 Institute 

4thMon        Manchester    Albert Hall

5thTue        Newcastle    Boiler Shop

6thWed        Glasgow    Barrowland

8thFri        Leeds        O2 Academy 

9th      Sat        London    Eventim Apollo Hammersmith 

Tickets available from www.myticket.co.uk.

* * * * 

The ‘Lord of Chaos’ EP will be available on CD, digital and three vinyl formats on 25th March.

Tracks 1 & 2 – Produced by Killing Joke andMixed by Tom Dalgety – set the tone for the band’s next studio album, currently being worked on in Prague.

Meanwhile, Tracks 3 & 4 give a fresh spin to numbers from the ‘Pylon’ album – ‘Big Buzz’ having been Re-mixed by Dalgety and Nick Evans, and ‘Delete’ getting the full Dub treatment courtesy of KJ’s Youth, who has a longstanding reputation in thisarea.

To purchase/stream the ‘Lord of Chaos’ EP go Here

FOR MORE INFORMATION

w/ https://www.killingjoke.co.uk/

f/ https://www.facebook.com/killingjokeofficial/