THE NEVILLE STAPLE BAND has announced their new single ‘Working Hard Everyday’

THE NEVILLE STAPLE BAND has announced their new single ‘Working Hard Everyday’

THE NEVILLE STAPLE BAND has announced their new single ‘Working Hard Everyday’ hot on the trail of their ‘Rude Rebels’ album, involving Specials’ original guitarist Roddy Radiation (a.k.a. Roddy Byers), and single ‘Put Away Your Knives’, a 2-Tone influenced punky ska and reggae cry to young people involved in knife crime, motivated by a tragic event that struck their family in September 2018 – the fatal stabbing of Neville’s 21-year-old grandson Fidel Glasgow.

Neville and Sugary Staple co-wrote  ‘Working Hard Everyday’ with Charlie Organaire (a.k.a. Charles Cameron), best friend and colleague to ska pioneer Prince Buster. He was involved in many of the legend’s hit songs, as well as writing his own music and working with Prince Buster’s son Sultan.

Catch The Neville Staple Band on tour with The Undertones throughout May and onwards on their own awesome steam at venues and festivals throughout the summer. June also brings several celebrations for the 40th Anniversary of 2-Tone, together with The Specials’ Jerry Dammers as DJ and Beat Goes Bang (comprised of members of The Beat, General Public and Dexys Midnight Runners).

NEVILLE & SUGARY STAPLE ‘RUDE REBELS’ LP
‘Rude Rebels’ LP Here
Vinyl order Shop
CD order Here
UK orders Amazon

TOUR DATES
May 2  LONDON – Electric Ballroom (with The Undertones)
May 3 COVENTRY – Empire (with The Undertones)
May 4  BRISTOL – SWX (with The Undertones)
May 9  NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE – Boiler Shop (with The Undertones)
May 10  LEEDS – O2 Academy (with The Undertones)
May 11  MANCHESTER – O2 Ritz (with The Undertones)
May 16  NORWICH – Open (with The Undertones)
May 17  BEXHILL ON SEA – De La Warr Pavilion (with The Undertones)
May 18  COOKHAM – Lets Rock The Moor (2:00)
May 18  SOUTHAMPTON – Engine Rooms (with The Undertones)
May 25 HERTFORDSHIRE – Stone Valley South Festival
May 26 MERTHYR TYDFIL – Merthyr Rising
June 1  CHIPPING SODBURY – SodFest
June 8  SHEFFIELD – Music For The Homeless
June 15 KETTERING – 40th Anniversary of 2-Tone (with Jerry Dammers DJ, Beat Goes Bang)
June 22 WESTON-SUPER-MARE – 40th Anniversary of 2-Tone (with Jerry Dammers DJ, Beat Goes Bang)
June 29  STANHOPE – Stone Valley North Festival
July 5 BLYTH – North East Chilli Fest
July 6   SOUTHAMPTON – Let’s Rock Southampton
July 13 THAME – Thame Music Festival
July 14  EXETER – Wonder Fields Festival
July 19  MELKSHAM – Melksham Music Festival
July 20  HOLMFIRTH – Holmfirth Ska Splash
July 21  TAMWORTH – Warton Music Festival
July 27  CHIDDINGLY – Chiddfest
Aug. 3  SUDDINGTON / MACCLESFIELD – Rewind Festival North
Aug. 9 WINCHESTER – Boomtown Fair
Aug 10 RATLINGHOPE – Farmer Phil’s Festival
Aug 17 STRETFORD – Great Northern Ska Festival
Aug 18 HENLEY-ON-THAMES – Rewind Festival South
Aug 31 CASTLE DONINGTON – Off the Tracks Festival

Keep up with Neville Staple / The Neville Staple Band
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Hammered Satin – Velvet Vortex (Dead Beat Records)

Hammered Satin – Velvet Vortex (Dead Beat Records)

Los Angeles California so much to answer for but thankfully one of them isn’t Hammered Satin.  Taking Smash Fashion and Giuda to the next level and channeling the Gypsy Rollers. The next level is to time warp – time machine these four lifers in all their glam-tastic -high heeled stomping glittery rock n roll finery  ala sweet meets Bolan meets the glitter band with extra plumes of feather boa and I might add stints in some pretty cool bands form their CV’s such as  the Zeros, Flamin’ Groovies, Flytraps, S’cool Girls and Teachers Pet. this is going to be one hell of a ride!

Sure as shit stinks they have a track called ‘Dynamite’ that does indeed have sound effects of explosions with one with extra glitter for the finale and hand claps and added slap on that snare drum.  Man, this is unashamed retro Rock and Roll.  Fuck me song titles that include words like ‘Candy’ ‘Sugar’ ‘Velvet’ ‘Starchild’ ‘Silver’ Satin’ Stomp’ they just about tick every box that has been left unopened properly since the ’70s.  ITs like every Top Of The Pops album got warped in the sun and melted into one (not so) original album. Did he just say lollipop and bubblegum in the same sentence? Of course he did the songs entitled ‘Cand Sugar Baby’ for fuck’s sake!

 

Sure there’s nothing remotely original here its simply glam stomping fun.  a lot of that glam hasn’t been used this brazenly for decades and why not?  Damn, they take huge lumps of Bolan and Glitter and make it their own in 2019 and I’m good with that the title track is pure Bolan and why not they’ve even borrowed his lyric book and backing vocal tapes. Giuda went there but with double denim and tried to tough it out with a bit of street thrown in but Hammered Satin go the full hog mog and set fire to the double denim and go straight for the thrift store bellbottoms and silver platforms.

‘Silver Streak’ is about a bike (of course it is) and what a bottleneck guitar bruiser it is too.this one is the start of the albums purple patch because ‘Baby Vampire’ has the records best backing vocals and ‘Honey Squiss’ is Hanoi Rocks cool in the melody stakes and the albums golden nugget. I would say its a hidden gem but there’s nothing hidden or under the radar on this record no Sir not for a second.  By the time ‘Starchild’ has begun you realise that that’s it and the record is on its last legs and this slower acoustic led ode to Starchild is the curtain call and that a shocker because it went by so quickly.  So re-apply that eye shadow pull up those satin bellbottoms are flip this bad boy over and go straight back in for another round.  It’s a lot of fun and whilst its dredged the underbelly of the 70’s glam scene it’s a hoot a proper blast of glitter oh, and the last quarter of this record is excellent.  Get on it and ride that white swan til the end ‘Velvet Vortex’ is addictive as hubba bubba and space dust and about as much rock and roll fun as is legally permitted.

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Author: Dom Daley

Adam Bomb, Liquid Jesus, Blue Movie – Mersey Klub Brno 25.04.19

Adam Bomb, Liquid Jesus, Blue Movie – Mersey Klub Brno 25.04.19

While many of his contemporaries and occasional sparring partners went on to play arenas, Adam Bomb’s own rock ‘n’ roll show has soldiered on relentlessly, doggedly frequenting the small clubs of the world – certainly in Europe anyway. Having played with the likes of Geoff Tate and Tommy Thayer, and rubbing shoulders with Kiss and Guns ‘n’ Roses, he could easily claim to have been hard done by. But that’s the just the way it goes. And rather than disappear into obscurity like many others from the era, he continues on with rock ‘n’ roll belief, delivering his show night after night.

Tonight in Brno is no different. The Mersey club is indeed small, but the atmosphere is great and the club is a local favourite among gig-goers. Unfortunately, due to the typical issue of people living near an old music club and complaining about it, the show must stop at 10pm. There are three bands on tonight so the show starts at a nice and early 7.15.

Understandably, I was a little late and entered the club to the electrifying Blue Movie. Hailing from New York City, this genre-bending metal band plays it loud, hard and intense. Their first time in Europe, Blue Movie weren’t about to let the early doors hold them back. Their show is full-on energy with relentless, solid metal riffing. The band tore through a crackin’ set of pummelling tunes before taking a well-earned rest. And their drummer is an absolute machine. She is fantastic.  Enjoy Europe guys!

Aside from Adam Bomb, the main reason I’d come tonight was to check out local band, Liquid Jesus. While described as glam punk, Liquid Jesus are just as much glam metal as punk – sometimes more on the side of Skid Row than New York Dolls, perhaps. Either way, there is a glam void in Brno and it is being delightfully filled by these guys. Fun and energetic, the Jesus have brought with them a loyal following who are enjoying every moment. The riffs are tight and the show is upbeat, with a great string of tunes before showing off their punk roots with a roaring cover of Dead Boy’s ‘Sonic Reducer’. Great stuff.

Another quick changeover and Adam Bomb is on stage in no time at all in order to meet the curfew. The last thing he needs is the police turning up again, judging by his recent Facebook posts about run-ins with the Swiss arm of the law. Never failing to put on a show, Bomb always looks the part no matter the size of the venue. Dressed in glitter and stars, the veteran and his band pour into his high-octane set, taking songs from throughout his rich career. Songs such as ‘I Want my Heavy Metal’, ‘Rock like Fuck’ and ‘DWI on the Info-Super Highway’ light up the stage almost as much as his pyrotechnics which had me looking for the most direct route out of there. A touching tribute to Johnny Thunders (his untimely passing remembered only days before this show) with ‘Johnny in the Sky’ is quickly followed by Thunders’ own ‘Little Bit of Whore’. A few more select numbers are wrapped up by ‘One Punch Can Change the Fight’ and more pyrotechnics, before Bomb and co move on to Prague to continue their 2019 trek around Europe. An early but great night all round.

 

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – ‘End Of Suffering’ (International Death Cult)

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – ‘End Of Suffering’ (International Death Cult)

“It is impossible to achieve the aim without suffering” – John G Bennett (Philosopher 1897-1974)

 

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes describe ‘End Of Suffering’ as their third and most important record, and they are not wrong. Following the success of their first two albums (‘Blossoms’ and ‘Modern Ruin’ were recorded back to back just 8 months apart) the band hit the studio in London during the record-breaking heat wave of 2018, with the intention of taking their time to create the biggest and best album they could.

To help achieve this, they roped in famed producer Cam Blackwood (Jack Savoretti/George Ezra) and the legendary mixing talents of Alan Moulder (NIN/QOTSA) to help turn their blood, sweat, and tears into something truly special.

 

The title ‘End Of Suffering’ comes from the Buddhist mantra for finding enlightenment, and the themes of this album document Frank’s struggles for the last 2 years. First single ‘Crowbar’ may have lulled fans into a false sense of security that this album was going to be choc-a-bloc with primal, fist-pumping anthems of empowerment’, but it’s safe to say Frank and songwriting partner/guitarist Dean Richardson have worked hard to take The Rattlesnakes to the next level. I believe their songwriting has matured beyond any of their previous work.

At the heart of this album is the song ‘Anxiety’, a highlight at the recent intimate shows. With a hard-hitting video and relatable lyrics, it’s a song that has already touched the hearts and souls of many fans. Dean’s lone, haunting guitar riff sets the tone for Frank to open up more than he ever has before. ‘Anxiety’ is an anthem for unity, a song to raise your hands to and stamp your feet along to.

You see, Frank Carter is a man who cares, and understands he is in a unique position where he can make a difference to people’s lives through his music. And if the message he gives out prevents just one person from shutting themselves off from the world, making them realise that they are not alone and that it is ok to not be ok, then his job is done.

 

Heavy talk aside, ‘End Of Suffering’ is introspective and puts out a positive message.  It is not a punk album, nor is it an indie album. ‘End Of Suffering’ is a modern rock record that perfectly bridges the gap between Gallows and Pure Love, much more successfully than either of their two previous albums did.

While the hardcore influence of Gallows that was still present throughout the first two albums is now all but a distant memory, ‘End Of Suffering’ is no less intense for it. Opener ‘A Butterfly Can’t Love A Spider’ sets the intensity levels high from the word go. Riding on a formidable, pulsating beat and brooding vocals that build to a soaring crescendo, as Dean bashes out a dirty riff. “When I’m high, I’m in Heaven, when I’m low I’m in Hell” sings Frank, and we believe every word.

The band then fire into the skulking beast that is ‘Tyrant Lizard King’. Featuring a cool, desert rock riff and a chorus that slithers from the speakers like a snake ready to inject its venom straight into the soul, it captivates and enraptures. A trademark off the wall solo from a certain Tom Morello fits the feel of the song perfectly. This tune is guaranteed to be a mainstay of The Rattlesnakes live set for years to come. 2 songs in, and it’s safe to say the band has taken things up a notch or two.

“I’m a punk rock renegade” drawls Frank on the opening line of the space age, indie punk hybrid ‘Kitty Sucker, before launching into another anthemic, high energy chorus that matches the intensity of Gallows at their finest.

With the likes of ‘Little Devil’ with its QOTSA feel and the regimental beats and high energy, post-punk vibes of ‘Heartbreaker’, The Rattlesnakes offer enough to satisfy all the cravings their fans desire. They even explore Portishead territory on the downbeat electronica soaked ‘Angel Wings’, a song that creates beautiful and cinematic imagery, if you just take the time to close your eyes and take it in.

The emotive closing title track offers yet more with acoustic guitars, a piano refrain and a recording of Frank’s four year old daughter laughing as the song fades out on singular ivory notes. “I’ll be waiting…even if I’m gone” Frank assures the listener in a near broken voice.

 

Between sorrow and beauty, where love and hate collide, the deeply personal ‘End Of Suffering’ could be the album to rocket Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes into stadiums around the world. It has already been stated elsewhere that this is their ‘The Holy Bible’, that this could be their ‘In Utero’. The difference being…this album offers hope where the others only gave despair.

Funnily enough, the opening quote of this review was taken from the introduction of the U.S. mix of ‘She Is Suffering’ by the Manic Street Preachers. How’s that for a tenuous link, pop pickers!

 

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Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daddy Long Legs – Lowdown Ways (Yep Rock Records)

Daddy Long Legs – Lowdown Ways (Yep Rock Records)

Dust down your dead man’s suit and lace up your dancing boots, ‘cause Daddy Long Legs are back with a new album, and may well be coming to your town. ‘Theme From Daddy Long Legs’ eases us in gently before new single ‘Pink Lemonade’ takes us down a slightly different route than you might expect. Not a drastic change, but it updates their traditional sound; if you heard it on the radio, you’d like it, but not necessarily think it was them.

 

‘Ding, Dong, Dang’, on the other hand, could have been recorded in 1939, and sounds exactly like the title suggests, which is no bad thing. Some fine twanging from Murat here. ‘Morning’, Noon, Night’ would have a nod of appreciation from Howlin’ Wolf; down and dirty blues, just the way it should be played. ‘Glad Rag Ball’ gets the hips shaking, “suited and booted” indeed. If this doesn’t get you moving, consult your local medicine man.

 

‘Bad Neighborhood’ is a scuzzy, acoustic riff, and ‘Celaphine’ keeps up the train-track rhythm, all handclaps and foot taps. ‘Winners’ Circle’ has a breezy, up-tempo Chuck Berry feel to it, while ‘Back Door Fool’ slows things down in a country style, worthy of Jason Ringenberg. Classy.

 

‘Snagglepuss’ berates a “mean old bag of bones”, ‘Be Gone’ brings a hoe-down flavour; shove your coffee table aside and prepare to move, before ‘Wrong Side Of The River’ brings it all to an end with a more somber tone. If you’re familiar with their work, you’ll know that Daddy Long Legs won’t let you down. Another fine album, but to capture their essence, see them on their upcoming U.K tour.

Author: Martin Chamarette

Buy ‘Lowdown Ways’ Here

 

 

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – New Video & Studio Album ‘WESTERN STARS’ coming this June

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – New Video & Studio Album ‘WESTERN STARS’ coming this June
Bruce Springsteen’s first new studio album in five years takes his music to a new place, drawing inspiration in part from the Southern California pop records of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. The album was recorded primarily at Springsteen’s home studio in New Jersey with additional recording in California and New York. Columbia Records will release Springsteen’s 19th studio album on 14th June. ‘Western Stars’ will be available for pre-order on Friday 26th April.
“This record is a return to my solo recordings featuring character-driven songs and sweeping cinematic orchestral arrangements,” says Springsteen. “It’s a jewel box of a record.”
The 13 tracks on ‘Western Stars’ encompass a sweeping range of American themes, of highways and desert spaces, of isolation and community and the permanence of home and hope.
Ron Aniello produced the album with Springsteen and plays bass, keyboard, and other instruments. Patti Scialfa provides vocals and contributes vocal arrangements on four tracks. The musical arrangements include strings, horns, pedal steel and contributions from more than 20 other players including Jon Brion (who plays celeste, Moog and farfisa), as well as guest appearances by David Sancious, Charlie Giordano and Soozie Tyrell. The album was mixed by 13-time Grammy winner Tom Elmhirst.

Cokie The Clown – You’re Welcome (Fat Wreck Chords)

Cokie The Clown – You’re Welcome (Fat Wreck Chords)

Fat Mike NOFX.  Yeah, right now you sit up and pay attention well come a little closer because this is not NOFX it doesn’t sound like NOFX even if Fat Mike is Cokie The Clown. This is dark in a very late night and I shouldn’t drink whiskey and do blow kinda way’ oh, and listen to Tom Waits. More like E from Eels than NOFX and that’s a good thing.  Sure he could have clowned around and down a dumb punk record and made a mint off the back of it but he hasn’t he’s gone for the piano and miserable vocal angle.

 

‘Bathtub’ is almost three minutes of one sad voice and a sparse piano and to be fair ‘Fair Leather Friends’ is more of the same if not a little more uptempo (steady on punk rocker not that uptempo) and it has a cello and some hi-hat and snare and if you must know its endearing and really fuckin’ good.  Why wouldn’t it be?

If you think E and Tom Waits you won’t be far off the mood of the record it has been said it’s not a happy record (they got that right) but it is a very good record.  It shows Fat Mike has hidden depths and can indeed turn his hand to writing some great dark melancholy music there are some great arrangments like ‘Swing And A Miss’ and he looks inside the dark corners of his mind to dig up songs like ‘Down With The Ship’ and the grande Harpsichord led ‘Negative Reel’  the album has ten tracks, the album also features a who’s who of A-list talent that assisted him throughout the recording sessions. Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails) produced ‘You’re Welcome’;  Travis Barker played drums and Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses contributed keyboards! Baz (a French musician), who Fat Mike collaborated heavily with on the album has to take some credit for what is a really impressive record but for being so different from what I was expecting.  The pop melodies that make up ‘That Time I Killed My Mom’ well I did say it was dark!.  its all wrapped up in a really fine piece of Cover art painted by the talented Natalia Fabia.

‘Fuck You All’ is like Fat Mike doing his best Cranford Nix and it builds to the most upbeat song on the record (musically that is I can’t mislead you into thinking ‘Fuck You All’ is upbeat).

So Fat Mike exposes his soul and releases an absolute winner. Ten tracks, dark, simple (ish), excellent!  My final words have to be – buy it, just for the autobiographical ‘Punk Rock Saved My Life’ epic!  If you want to hear NOFX then go do so this most certainly isn’t and I’m good with that because this is the business.

 

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Author: Dom Daley

The Midnight Dogs/The Electric Shakes – Abertillery, The Doll’s House – 19th April 2019

The Midnight Dogs/The Electric Shakes – Abertillery, The Doll’s House – 19th April 2019

With the Easter bank holiday sun blazing in the early evening sky it feels like a very Good Friday indeed as I descend on The Dolls House for the first night of the Dementia Aware Fest Wales being hosted by our good friends at The Rock ‘N’ Roll Circus.

Unfortunately, tonight is the only night I can make this year, and even then, I can only make it for the last four bands of the evening, so my apologies to Kinstrife and Smithgrind for missing your sets, I’m sure I’ll catch up with you soon.

Scarlet Rebels are up first for me and they turn out to be a very competent Welsh five piece very much in the modern melodic rock mould, going down an absolute storm with the fans they have brought along with them. This Elegant Chaos on the other hand are an angsty gothic metal quartet from Birmingham who thunder through their set like they’re headlining an arena, with bassist Greg being like the band’s very own Phil Collen, but without the multi-platinum back catalogue to play…well not yet anyway.

The bastard sons of the Dorset Delta otherwise known as The Electric Shakes are the band I’ve really come here to see tonight, my 30 minute car journey paling into insignificance compared to how long it must have taken them to drive here from Bournemouth, so it’s a real shame there aren’t more of the local rock community present to witness the band’s fantastic blend of R&B (as in the 60s kind) infused garage rock.  More fool them I say…suckers!!!!

Kicking off with the spritely new track ‘Lightspeed’, there’s no time for banter as the trio of Steve (guitar and vocals), Eric (bass) and Basha (drums) tear straight into the Glitter boogie of ‘The Doctor’ from their 2017 ‘Electrohypnosis’ CD and suddenly there’s a rock ‘n’ roll cure for all of our ill, yeah and it’s called dancing. Of the new tracks aired tonight ‘Rye N Dry’ sounds like the perfect aperitif for the band’s soon to be released EP whilst older tracks like ‘Shot Me Down’, ‘Magpie’ and frisky (geddit?) set closer ‘Blue Meanie’ make me wonder why someone hasn’t had this lot out on the road playing the length and breadth of the country with Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, reclaiming venues from the grips of the tribute terror that is feeding off the apathy of casual gig goers like the fucking Blob of Beige.

Sadly, there’s no time for any tracks from the band’s excellent debut ‘Stereotypical Girls’ EP tonight but then with a tight schedule to follow you can’t have it all can you.

Having somehow managed to miss tonight’s headliners at Hard Rock Hell Sleaze last September all I seemed to hear following the festival was just how great The Midnight Dogs were that weekend, so its once again such a shame that a band commanding such a high reputation amongst those “in the known” end up playing to just the real Dolls House diehards by the time they hit the stage with a swaggering hunk of rock going by the name of ‘Fooling’.

The Leicester based band certainly remind me of the greats like Zeppelin and Aerosmith albeit they do it without the plagiarism of many of the current contemporaries (I could have perhaps have done without the cover of ‘Come Together’ though) and its their non-stop dancing and part time cross dressing frontman Rob Cass who is the band’s most critical element in their ability to continue to do so.  New video single ‘Let’s Go’ sounds like a real doozy of a tune live but for me it’s its predecessor ‘I’m With You’ where The Midnight Dogs truly shine, this is 2 minutes of intense guitar driven hook laden rock, and if the Dogs can write a bunch of tunes as great as this they very well could be a true musical force to be reckoned with come October when they finally release album number two.

As it is The Midnight Dogs will return to The Dolls House a couple of weeks before said album is released when they headline Dollfest 6 on Saturday 28th September which is once again being organised by the metal gods at The Rock ‘N’ Roll Circus.

So, kudos once again to Ceri and Paul at The Circus , along with Jammy and Southy at The Dolls House, as well as all the bands who played not only tonight but across the whole weekend, simply for keeping original rock music alive and well in south Wales, whilst raising money for a very worthwhile cause indeed.

Kudos indeed my friends…take a bow one and all!

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Author: Johnny Hayward

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

As today is Monday RPM likes to send you on your way back to work with three awesome songs and videos. We’ve got three bangers starting with this beaut from Razorbats,  ‘This High’ was released a few years ago and with footage taken at Slugfest its as glam as it gets and there are plenty of handsome RPM chaps in the audience.

Second up is the recent Beach Slang track ‘I Hate Alternative Rock’ A new song by a band who’ve never made a bad record.

Finally, a brand new video from Kyle Craft & Showboat Honey with ‘2 Ugly 4 NY’ their forthcoming new album ‘Showboat Honey’ will be available worldwide July 12th, 2019 from Sub Pop.  Great video and tune.

 

 

Brett Smiley – ‘Sunset Towers’ (Whats Your Rupture?)

Brett Smiley – ‘Sunset Towers’ (Whats Your Rupture?)

Brett Smiley was a singer-songwriter from America who was as glam rock as David Johanson and Marc Bolan and in the 70’s he had one single (‘Va Va Va Voom’) and one album that quickly vanished and is now the price of a small island if you want a copy on CD (‘Breathlessly Brett’) It was recorded in the mid ’70s but released in the early 2000’s he was once taken under the wing of Andrew Loog Oldham and the rest is history (albeit feint obscure History) well RSD tends to throw up a few curveballs from the box of records kept under the stairs and 2019 threw up ‘Sunset Towers’ – A collection of Eight songs recorded by Smiley before Oldman got hold of him this was recordings captured at Cherokee Studios in the Valley (also used by Bowie) what we have here is eight classic slabs of original first wave Glam rock plain and simple.  Great tunes camp as Christmas proper glam rock – brickies in platform silver boots and feather boas it’s a moment caught in time.

 

Only a few of the tracks made it onto the ‘Breathlessly Brett’ album and to be fair they aren’t the standout tracks here which makes it all the more puzzling how and why Brett wasn’t more well known. To be honest it was 2004,  Nina Antonia’s book about Smiley, ‘The Prettiest Star: Whatever Happened to Brett Smiley’ that made me dig into who he was and his sad story. Smiley performed until 2015 in New York City and was recording songs for a new CD. He sadly died on January 8, 2016, after a lengthy battle with HIV and hepatitis but thanks to things like RSD we get to revel in his legacy and wonderful silky smooth voice.  Whilst I said the music is classic glam his voice is wonderful take the Stonesy rip off of ‘Highty Tighty’ You’ll hear the melody and Stones influence which is always cool. There’s the Bowie/Bolan swagger of ‘Abstracted Billy’. 

You also have the pomp and Mott like ‘Space Ace’ with its drug-addled lyrics which I’m sure at the time would have seemed wild and out there.  There are lyrics and delivery phrases here that remind me of Marc Almond something that crops up several times throughout the record to be fair.  I love ‘Queen Of Hearts’ it’s so dramatic it’s like a light to Lou Reeds Shade.

‘Lying In The Sun’ sounds like a demo compared to the previous tracks and the unproduced nature is warming and engaging and to be fair the exact same could be said for the final offering of ‘Diamonds Couldn’t Bring You Back’ which has a certain Johnny Thunders quality to it and seems like the perfect way to end the record.  I do hope that the quality of songs he was working on as late as 2015 surface and follow on from these recordings and we one day get to hear them.  Rest In Peace Brett Smiley your star burned brightly if only for a new york minute and I’m glad it got captured on record. It might not be the greatest Glam Rock record ever made but its quality and if you like Mott The Hoople, Bowie, Reed, Bolan, the Dolls then fill yer boots this is a keeper. If you can pick one of these up before they cost a fortune.

 

Author: Dom Daley