Singles Club Second Leg – August

Singles Club Second Leg – August

Again its another week and another bunch of brand new, hot off the press singles.  A few debutants and some seasoned vets of these pages get covered. I’m always impressed by the quality of some bands and labels and the lengths they go to to make the little records and this bunch of singles we’ve gotten hold of is no exception. If there was a prize for record of the week, month, the year there was only ever going to be one winner and that honour goes to the new one from The Black Halos.  So good it is and so passionate that we drafted in  Rich Rags to put pen to paper and pour his thoughts over the page on the release. It’s fair to say he does justice and some to such an awesome song. Now I’ll step aside so you can check out this weeks 7″ singles…

 

The Black Halos – ‘Ain’t No Good Time To Say Goodbye’ (Yeah Right! Records) Vancouver, Canada’s punk heroes The Black Halos pen impassioned tribute single for inspiration, legend and friend, SNFU’s Mr. Chi Pig.

After the critically lauded 2019 single “Geisterbahn II” and the sold-out shows that followed, many people were hoping that the new line-up of the Halos would continue as a going concern. And for now, it is. At its rock ‘n’ roll heart are the original members, frontman Billy Hopeless and the guitar team of Rich Jones and Jay Millette, joined by pals John Kerns (Age Of Electric) and Danni Action (ACIIDZ) on bass and drums respectively.

 

When the world’s plans changed due to the pandemic, traditional ways of creating and working had to change along with it.

This single was recorded in isolation. And you couldn’t tell if ya tried. Its rich deep sound and empathetic interplay of guitars, the ragged and street-sure confidence of the rhythm section… well…  it all gives a supportive encouraging shoulder for Billy’s aching anthemic send-off. Like the friends who embrace you while still donning their knuckledusters.

The boys surely have his back on this one.

 

The storied public life and works of Mr. Chi Pig (Earth Name: Ken Chinn) started with the formation of SNFU in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada in the ‘80s. I personally was from a couple of hours south, so let me impart to you the influence and huge amount of PMA that their explosive early existence created.  The shockwave was thus… You (yes YOU!) too can come from a city trapped within the mind-numbing cotton wool of hundreds of kilometres of prairie boredom and tragedy and still stand up, be counted and heard. He and his band let ya know you could reach out and connect… you just had to be willing to work. Hard.

Many amazing songs came from the greatest titled albums (“Something Green And Leafy This Way Comes” anyone?). From the “get yer hands off the waitress, asshole!” hardcore skirmish of “She’s Not On The Menu” to the achingly beautiful “Painful Reminder”, they showed everyone you don’t need to be a one-trick kid. Just yourself. Your humour, your heart, your anger… they all can have a chance. Get on that road and let ‘em live.

 

So I think it’s fitting this song was written and recorded by The Black Halos. The bleeding sunsets they themselves chased lit fires and branded hearts and minds across North America and Europe. All along the miles of matchbook stages, hotel beds and floors… looking at the same neon lights blinking through the drapes that SNFU had.

There’s a family-like connection in that, and it shows.

 

Billy and Ken were close friends, seeing each other regularly in Vancouver over the years. Hopeless’s love and pain are evident in the song’s lyrics. “If you’re hearing these words, one of us ain’t alive”… writing after the fact a common knowledge or pact they both carried. That whoever remained would surely remember. “I never wanted to sing these words…” pouring out of his perfectly poised poison heart.

 

He does sing them, though.

The great singers are obituary writers in their own way. They take the thoughts and feelings we didn’t say or find hard to share, no matter how difficult to face, and make sense of them for us. Billy has taken his personal loss and made it into something universal that we can all carry with us to help us through our own experience.

 

All of this is guided by the perfect touch of Rich Jones’ late-night beer-light to guide us songwriting. This is one of the very best and most emotionally realised works of their long partnership.

 

Getting better after all this time. Still inspired and inspiring.

 

The excellent cover of SNFU’s “Rusty Rake” rounds this off nicely, taking their song and giving it a respectful and energised spin back home.

 

I’ll leave you with the words of Billy Hopeless himself…

 

“Just know this; whether you cry or smile when you think of him, it’s because he reached you. And you should never let go of that.”

 

All proceeds of the single will be going to the Chi Pig Mural Fund, for a tribute to be displayed in Edmonton, Canada.

Author: Rich Ragany

In true Halos style and a touch of class, they have pledged to donate all profits from the sale of vinyl and digital copies of the single to the Chi Pig Mural fund and as such, the songs will not be available on any streaming services.  You know what to do, you good people, you always do. Pick it up Here

 

Adam West – ‘Hi-Ball’ 7″ EP (Savage Magic Records)  Savage Magic Records is turning 10! …and what better way to bookend the first ten years than to release an Adam West record! Their first release was the live Adam West EP ‘Merci, Bon Soir!’. Ten years and over 50 records later, They dish up this little gem.

These three tracks were originally intended to make up half of a split 10″ EP on Munster Records in Spain, but something happened (as things often do) and this entire recording session from 1998 was shelved and remained unreleased in any form until now. Celebrating ten years of doing the record label, Savage Magic wanted to do something special with one of their all-time favorite bands.so here it is kids – Adam West’s “Hi-Ball” EP! The opening track is a high octane rocket ride that’s running on pure adrenaline and is of the finest vintage and being left for a decade to ferment has done it no harm as it sounds like it was penned yesterday and fired onto the wax or bludgeoned by a hefty les paul. ‘Hi-Ball’ might be a blast but the bass line of utter filthy proportions on ‘For All I Care’ is a real rush and as the song rattles along its nasty and snarling like a rabid dog.  Adam West and Savage Magic you spoil us with these tunes. If these two weren’t enough there is a third, ‘Something Wicked’ is a rolling riff of gargantuan proportions and it’s making my tweeters and woofers rattle like some old man’s dentures. If this isn’t a slice of supreme Rock and Roll of the action kind then I don’t know what is.  Awesome!

Pre-order it now Here but be quick they’re limited in colour and quantity

Check out Adam West here: Official / Bandcamp

 

 

Manne Olander Following – ‘The Misanthrope EP’ (Savage Magic Records) First solo effort from Deadheads frontman. Some classic garage rock anyone? Manne Olander comes outta the blocks like his backside is on fire and only gets more intense as the track unfolds.  The EP only gets better as the second track ‘Dystopia’ has plenty of thump from the lower end as the bass absolutely rattles my speakers.  Flip this bad boy over and there’s a stonking Rocker ‘Backstabber’.  Uncompromising Loud Rock and Roll just the way it should be.  Outlaws dancing with the devil and playing all the best tunes. Oh and Manne Plays everything himself! let that sink in as you spin his single!

Very limited number here – 100 on solid red wax, 100 on white wax, 100 on black wax.  Buy It Here

 

Guerrilla Teens – ‘Mad Love’ (self Release)  Well, fuck all for an age then all of a sudden you put ’em on lockdown and they want to monkey around making new music.  Recorded remotely our new favourite noisemakers from the mean streets of Portland, Guerrilla Teens are back in the house and this time they’re bringing some ‘Mad Love’ and of course, it’s a fuckin’ banger, what did you expect?

Catchy, sharp and shorter than an orangutang not one more track but two. How about some snotty Steve Jones inspired punk rock and roll riffage entitled ‘Gateway’? what a tune this is.  Possibly the best this fledgling band have offered thus far.  I only hope some fair-minded label picks these up and when they don’t have to social distance they get into a studio and record an album full of these songs.  It’ll be in my top ten for the year no question about that.  Go pick em up without delay – Here

 

The Lurkers – ‘Fits You Like A Glove’ (Damaged Goods Records) Yeah you read that right it’s the fuckin’ Lurkers! Stride, Moore, Esso are back swinging with this catchy little ditty. With a great big dirty riff with plenty of Chugg all the way to that chorus with its understated melody.  We might be a bit early here but we couldn’t wait in giving you the heads up.  The B Side ‘ When You Are Borderline’ is a bruising encounter from the thuggish riff to the chorus it means business and is pretty damn good. The A-Side is taken from the new long-player ‘Sex Crazy’  oh didn’t I mention there’s a new long-player?  Well, there is and if its got better songs than the b side which is exclusive to this single then I can’t wait to get an ear full. Catchy and a bit nasty – perfect! Limited to 500 copies on Yellow vinyl keep your eyes peeled Facebook

 

Young Francis Hi-Fi – ‘I Wanna Hold You Tight (Tonight)’ (Self Release)  Young Brighton punks kicking up a bit of a storm on this up-tempo Banger.  They claim to pen two-minute pop songs about love and getting high, well, it is what it is and these guys have the chops with a confident melodic slice of energy which we like a lot round these parts and I guess they walk the walk as well as talk the talk seeing as its less than two minutes long, about Love but we can’t corroborate if they were high when recording so two out of three ain’t bad. To add some context here this Berlin-born Brighton based punk hooked up with those Rotten Foxes which might be why we love it so much and probably why we can confirm that their mission statements must be true and he does indeed love to get high and if it wasn’t for The Black Halos this would be our pick of the pile no doubt about that. – now can we have an album full of songs like this, please? thank you kindly.       Check it out Here    Social media – Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

The Jailbirds – ‘Dull My Brain’ (Golden Robot Records) Some classic hard rockin riff-a-rama from Canadian Hard rockin trio. With big riffs, big hooks and big vocals The Jailbirds turn the clock back to cock rock o’clock.  Man this band sound like they were born several decades too late and had this been the late ’80s they’d be contenders with the big boys. Warrant and Dokken or on a technical side Mr Big fans should be all over this.

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram 

 

 

 

 

The Slackers – ‘Nobody’s Listening / Sleep Outside’ (Pirates Press Records) The Slackers are a band that shouldn’t need any introduction. They fuse the best elements of Ska and reggae.  Here they release two brand new songs that showcase what they’re all about and should put a big fat smile across your face. To be fair they’re poignant and send out a timely message when they are so desperately needed.  Evoking a sense of nostalgia and sending a message to your feet to not stand still and whilst you’re taking in the lyrics (and Grinning from ear to ear) remember to dance like there’s no tomorrow oh, that sax break on ‘Nobody’s Listening’ is awesome.  Check it out.  Facebook

 

 

Borracho with Jake Starr – ‘Borracho with Jake Starr’ (Savage Magic Records) In the not too distant past well 2015 to be exact at the  Strange Magic Showcase Night #1 in Pomona, Jake Starr took the stage with Borracho and knock out two amazing versions of Adam West classics. I’m reliable informed it sounded incredible, So much so that plans were made about getting these two songs recorded in the studio and releasing a 7-inch. Lo and behold, and almost five years later it is actually happening!

‘Sixth Son of a Seventh Son’ from Adam West’s 2002 single of the same name, and ‘Bulletproof’ from Adam West’s 2005 album ‘Power to the People’ are reconstructed Borracho-style! Again super limited amounts of this available with 100 on solid purple wax, 100 on solid green wax, 105 on traditional black wax. The A-side is loud and fair play to Borracho they are fucking loud even when the volume is on low its LOUD! Stoner Rock whatever you’d call it a good tune will always be a good tune and this is proof no matter how its reimagined it’s still a banger As for ‘Bulletproof’ it sounds like something Lemmy would have recorded around ’79 – heavy fuckers . Available Here

 

Nekrokraft – ‘Witches Funeral / Return of the Kvlt’ (The Sign Records) From Ska to classic Black Metal complete with church organ intro anyone who knows me knows I’m quite partial to a bit of Black Metal and the likes of Venom and Midnight will always have a space in my Black Heart and classic noisemakers like early Mayhem and Hellhammer too. so, Nerokraft (top name obviously) manage to cram in as many cliches as possible from the gruff scary vocals to the double bass thump and spooky scooby doo intro I only hope they wear Monks robes to the supermarket and corpse paint 24/7 and their favourite tipple is a vintage bottle of virgins blood.  Anyway, the first track even ends with a clap of thunder so far plays to that whilst ‘Return’ has a thrashing metal riff that goes for broke and is easily the pick of the two on offer here. this Swedish five-piece have re-recorded these tunes and still thrash like satanic mofos so job done.  Horns up motherfuckers Nekrocraft are in da house and it’s rather splendid and I’m delighted that they resisted going into Danni Filth territory with the vocals. Nice one gents Facebook

Throwing Stuff – ‘ACIYHAB’  (TNS Records) With a take on the classic Black Flag artwork Throwing Stuff are here to raise some money for Black Lives Matter UK and Food Not Bombs Myanmar so we’re always going to get behind good causes through music.  The band themselves will match the donations which is a fantastic gesture. The single was recorded across the locked down cities of Manchester, UK, and Yangon, Myanmar, where vocalist Ben now lives.ACIYHAB, which stands for “all coppers inside your head are bastards”, is about how police forces serve to both consciously and unconsciously control those considered a “threat” to the status quo. In your face punk rock is the order of the day and it should be supported. Buy Here       Facebook / Twitter

Volcanova – ‘Super Duper Van’ (The Sign Records) With their stoner heavy fuzzed-out rock riffs Volcanova Its the third single taken from their debut album ‘Radical Waves’ its got a big harmonic chorus wrapped up in an even bigger riff that is true to its fuzzed-out roots and God damn it I hear a cowbell! Never will there be a point where I don’t smile upon hearing a song with a cowbell in it and this is no exception. These Icelandic Rockers are cool as a polar bear sitting on an ice cube and they know it.  Wear those Kaftans with pride gents you deserve it.

Various Artists – ‘A Fistful More Of Rock & Roll, Vol 3’ (Screaming Crow Records)

Various Artists – ‘A Fistful More Of Rock & Roll, Vol 3’ (Screaming Crow Records)

A Fistful More of Rock & Roll, Volume 3 contains Twenty Six of the best Rock n Roll bands from all over the world! Originally slated for release in January of this year manufacturing problems and a pandemic pushed it back to July 31, 2020. Although all the bands/songs are sweaty, beer-soaked denim dripping Rock n Roll, Available on CD and gatefold double LP.

Liner notes from Producer Sal Conzonieri of Electric Frankenstein.

A Fistful MORE of Rock & Roll – Volume 3 continues in the same tradition that the original 13 volumes of A Fistful of Rock ‘n’ Roll did from 2000 to 2007. 

It’s the Return of the Return of Rock ‘n’ Roll,Call it what you like Action Rock Punk n Roll does it really matter? It’s Straight down and dirty, Loud n lustful, Action Rock revolution, High Energy Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll yadda yadda yadda.

Action Rock, Punk N Roll, Hard Rock now we’ve established that you can actually call it what you like if its good I’ll give it a spin and if it’s not then no thanks I’ll pass.  This new age of “Action Rock” is churning out records at a rate of Knotts and for the convenience of keeping all these alternative bands under one umbrella, I happen to think its in rude health.  Having covered a lot of these bands over the years I find it warming that they’ve been brought together  thanks to the super hard work of Sal.

Starting in the late 80s and early 90s, a worldwide Rock revival / New Rock Revolution sprang up, from Scandinavia to the USA to Australia to Wales. Spontaneously, around the world, a group of bands developed this new sound, such as Poison Idea, Action Swingers, Bullet Lavolta, Big Chief, The Fluid, Blue Hippos / Otto’s Chemical Lounge, Celebrity Skin, The Kings of Oblivion, Flower Leperds, Fearless Leader, The Lazy Cowgirls, The Donnas, The New Bomb Turks, The Didjits / The Lee Harvey Oswald Band / The Gaza Strippers, Dwarves, Zeke, Supersuckers, The Hookers, Nashville Pussy, Easy Action, Trash Brats, Candy Snatchers, Adam West, The Cherry Valence, Jakkpot, The Upper Crust, Speedealer, B-Movie Rats, The Stitches, The Humpers, Rocket from the Crypt, The Superbees, The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Zen Guerilla, The Murder City Devils, The Mud City Manglers / The Cheats, D Generation, Electric Frankenstein, The Black Halos, The Spitfires, Danko Jones, American Ruse, TV Killers, Dumbell, Temporal Sluts, Thee STP,  Aerobitch, The Pleasure Fuckers, Safety Pins, The Nomads, Puffball, The Rockets, The Hives, Gluecifer, The Flaming Sideburns, The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies, Turbonegro, The Onyas, The D4, The Datsuns, The Powder Monkeys, The Panadolls, Mustang, Hoss, Teengenerate, Supersnazz, Jet Boys, Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, and so on, that were all featured on the first series of the “A Fistful of Rock ‘n’ Roll” compilations.

Today there is a whole new generation of young bands and (cough, cough) not so young bands delivering the goods and knowing exactly where the action is.  they have built upon what the previous bands started, keeping Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll alive and full of high energy. Thus, a second series is necessary to document this: “A Fistful MORE of Rock & Roll”; No mistakes at all when I say this is one of the loudest compilations and no quarter is given not even an inch.  Side one pairs up Deathtraps with Egyptian Gay Lovers both playing loudly but both offer something quite different from each other. As far as Deathtraps go they’ve just released an excellent album full to the brim of loud rock and roll and a leap in quality from the first which was pretty impressive as it goes.

Flexx Bronco opens up side two with a cool rocker ‘Heart on the Floor’ and again it’s sounding quite different from the Elvis meets Danzig rock of Nevadah and ‘Iggy Dog’ but I have to admit I have a soft spot for the most excellent Drippers record ‘Solitary Speaking’  rumbles along like a freakin’ steam train heading for oblivion.  A quite ferocious cut for sure. Then to follow that with Randy Savages Rockin’ and a rollin’ on their single Guilty of Nuthin’ is an exceptional burst of energy and how can anyone not get behind that guitar solo!

Of the bands I’ve never heard before Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre is one with a bit of a mouthful but fear not Rockers the guitars are slung low and the energy levels are in bloom. Moving away from the Punk n roll attitude of a band like Randy Savages you have The Dirty Denims who pray at the altar of DC and all things ROCK!

There are some bands I’ve not heard anything from in quite a while and to be fair bands like The Cheats are kicking serious backside as is Dog Toffee someone I’ve not hear anything from in a while and they sound excellent as do East Coast Low another new one on me and their solid thump.

It might be an idea to listen to this in healthy chunks so as to not overwork your brain and to give your speakers a chance to recover.  Projeckt Daghouse  are kicking up a hellish racket but they are overshadowed by a band I’ve championed since hearing their debut. Poison Boys have got the lot from the pretty faces going to hell. But trying to pick a favourite side is like being forced to choose between the kids.  But don’t tell anyone but the last record is freakin awesome such is the quality of songs on offer.

It’s fair to say I’m impressed and this is right up there with the best for sheer quality and like I said earlier the amount of hard work that went into making this project a reality and all these cool bands delivering the goods on mass is a real Boon to the scene. An honour and a feather in the caps of those who get featured and being associated with such a quality compilation.  I hope Sals turned his attention to volume 14 and I look forward to hearing who and what is on offer because this is only the beginning of the second wave. Now if only this virus would be kind enough to fuck off and let us get back to live shows maybe we can see some of these bands in the flesh tearing it up around the stages of the world.

Pre-orders and limited edition purple vinyl available exclusively Here

Author: Dom Daley

The Singles Club – March or Die

The Singles Club – March or Die

 

OK, kids, The Singles club is open for March and with a few choice picks we got a right mixed bag of genre-hopping choices to suit every pallet. WE’ve got punk of all persuasions and old rockers – we’ve got some legends of several scenes and a few eyebrow raisers as well as some really exciting new bands for you starting with the single of the month as Lemmy said March or Die…

 

 

Dead Meat – Dead Meat EP (No Front Teeth Records) What a way to start the singles club round up. A four track EP on one of my favourite labels some trashy punk rock featuring some of my favourite bands out there making a noise at the moment.  This one is chuffin’ awesome. Snotty, fast, down n dirty Rock and Roll. Blink and you’ll miss this one it features four track lasting between a minute and some and two minutes and some and the players have pedigree featuring members of THE CAVEMEN, SUICIDE GENERATION and THE SPEEDWAYS need I say any more?  Put it this way if you don’t curl out a smile when pogoing to ‘I Give Up’  then real Rock and Roll maybe isn’t for you. Just buy it out get out of here its a keeper and my record of the month! Buy it here

 

Faz Waltz – ‘Grown Up Guy’ (Spaghetty Town Records (USA) and Wanda Records (Germany)) Since forming in 2007 Faz Waltz have been a non-stop rock machine recording six albums these boys are relentless.  ‘Grown Up Guy’ is what Faz Waltz do they Rock and Roll with the best of them.  You wanna call it retro 70s bubblegum boot boy rock and roll then fine but this lot are tough and that riff is a cracker as are those BV’s.

The B side is just as punchy it’s like a party on plastic they’ve captured the mood perfectly and this one comes with added shakers and handclaps so what’s not to like? Faz does breakdowns and solos with the best of them and this ones no exception.  Just like the TV Times, I didn’t realise there was so much in it!

 

The Scaners – ‘X-Ray Glasses: On’  (Spaghetty Town Records (USA), Adrenalin Fix Music (FR), Dangerhouse Skylab (FR) and Ghost Highway Records (Spain) Supersonic gonzo-synth punk – Intergalactic swirling garage rock’n roll spaceship – Soundtrack for UFO pilots and weird aliens and decent thinking punk rockers (with taste)

First, it appeared on the 2019 LP The Scaners II, and two brand new songs are the order of the day for these loons.  Blink and you’ll miss opener ‘Alien Boy’ with its sub-one-minute slam dance. What a mint tune that’s how to do it punk rockers. In contrast, the numanoid feast that is ‘X-Ray Glasses’.  Sounding like a really cool Tubaway Army thumper from the dumbed-down bass line to the swirling synth and robotic vocals – great stuff. ‘I Really Wanna Know’ isn’t hanging about either.  Brief and fleeting but a lot of fun. The Scaners are delivering the good big time on this right smart offering.  What a top single.

The Outliners – ‘House Of Thieves’  (self Release) 
Unleashing slamming punk cuts and appealing hooks, Brit threesome THE OUTLINES are planning their attack across the UK with the release of their new EP, House Of Thieves, It features the track ‘Mind Trip’ which they were kind enough to shoot a video for. they are the creation of singer and guitarist, Kyle Peters, who formed the band in 2015 after leaving Ferocious Dog. Peters enlisted old school friends Martyn Brown (Bass) and Dean Hill (Drums), and the newly rejuvenated three-piece began rehearsals to craft a live set and to shape a sound that would be powerful and raw, but also refined. As you will notice the song is built around a sharp guitar riff and full-bodied sound.  It should do really well and will go down really well live.  ‘Man Down’ is a lively opener as it comes out of the speakers swinging. Bullish and full-bloodied.  ‘Mind Trip’ is more of the same with a great production giving the songs a bright punchy sound and giving it the room to just do its thing. The title track of the EP is a bit of a beast with some piraty backing vocals as the verses swirl around a decent riff it’s a really strong introduction to the band who can rock out and show restraint.  Go check em out  Website /  Spotify

Dystopian Future Movies – ‘Black Cloaked’ (Lasairfhíona Records) Second single off their soon to be released album ‘Inviolate’

Bona Rays – ‘Poser’ ( Flashback Records)  Bona Rays’ Poser, is the last great undiscovered UK 1970’s Punk single to see light of day and the only UK punk single recorded in the 1970s fronted by a woman of West Indian descent. Poser is finally released on limited 7 on 28th February.

Back in 1978, Punk Songwriter and Guitarist Tony Keating had a few songs he’d written and was looking for a singer. A friend encountered Chas at a tube station after a gig and asked her if she was interested in singing on Tony’s tracks. A few weeks later, they had christened themselves Bona Rays These tracks were pushed around labels in ’78 but to no avail that is until now.  sounding a little dated it’s Drum Toms and synth giving it some on ‘Poser’.
40 years later, Chas was moving house and decided to sell her records. She took them to Flashback Records where owner Mark Burgess bought the collection. In amongst these records was an unknown 7” acetate. After Chas left the shop, intrigued by this oddity, Mark played ‘Poser’ on the shop system. Fate stepped in as Chas walked back into the shop at that moment to sell a few DVDs she’d forgotten to bring along earlier and said – “Oh – you’re playing our song”.  What are the chances eh?  www.bonarays.bandcamp.com
Billy Talent – ‘Reckless Paradise’ (Spinefarm Records) Canadian rockers Billy Talent have released the first official single from their forthcoming album, due out this fall.  The song, “Reckless Paradise” showcases the powerful driving riffs and pointed lyrics the band is famous for.  Produced by Billy Talent guitarist and Juno Award nominee (Producer of the Year) Ian D’Sa, “Reckless Paradise” is available now everywhere you listen to music. With a huge riff and distinctive vocals, Billy Talent sits between ‘Dookie’ and something totally harder rockin’ if that’s a place but the layered vocals and heavy guitar will lend itself to a wide audience.

City Saints – ‘Peter and the Test Tube Babies on the Radio’ (Sunny Bastards Records)

Swedish punks City Saints play loud guitar, bass and drums street punk. With the A-side, good old sing along with a happy go lucky hook on the chorus and a gang vocal even the drunkest of listener can join in with.
Recorded with Peter Bywaters from peter and the Test Tube Babies. It features just the one original and two covers. The band managed to capture a lot of big fun in the recording of this A-Side and having Peter from the Test Tube Babies shouting along is great I’m not sure he would shit em though they’re a bunch of buff lads.
There does seem to be a theme with the two other tunes as they follow on the time-honored tradition of Peter & his Test Tube Babies as they smash ‘Alcohol’. Then they rock and roll their way through ‘Giving Up Drinking’ with aplomb. Peter will be pleased with the credits but I think more so the fact he’s been honored with two fine takes by this handy band of Swedes who sure do know how to Rock and Roll.  Facebook
Biff Byford – ‘Me And You’ (Silver Lining Music) Now everyone loves a bit of Biff.  his endearing endurance is something to celebrate and his singlemindedness to carry on through the decades with Saxon and then when it was announced he was going to release solo album eyebrows were raise.  you know what it is something different from the singer and opening his heart like this is great stuff it’s not what was expected and using the saxophone worked for me and this should be celebrated as a triumph.  Good on you Mr. Byford you are a true legend and long may you continue to perform and make music – RPM Salutes you.  to get your copy visit www.biffbyford.com

The Empty Hearts – Remember Days Like These (Wicked Cool Records) You want power pop from a supergroup?  Hell, we all do.  the Empty Hearts dish up a delicious helping of Rickenbacker backbeat power pop with the emphasis on the pop.  With lush backing vocals and daydreams of laying on cut grass staring up at the clouds in a deep blue sky Hell they’ve even managed to rope in Ringo Star on the drums for the lead track and Clem Burke sits it out. Truly a supergroup. Elliot Easton – guitar, backing vocals Wally Palmar – lead vocals, guitar, Clem Burke – drums, backing vocals, percussion and Andy Babiuk – bass, backing vocals. The B side or is that AA side ‘Tell Me Reasons Why’ is my pick of the two tracks on offer and is the sound of some guys loving what they’re playing and delivering the good.  For lovers of Rickenbacker power pop garage. Bandcamp

Johnny Jetson – ‘Love Me For My Car’ (Minnie Apple Records) Two tracks taken from his brand new soon to be released album ‘Make Your Move’ Jetson plays in yer face Rock and Roll. He’s stewed it in a vat of influences including the good and the greats.  Bolan and T Rex are in the DNA for sure as the tune gyrates and does a virtual lapdance all through your ears and that’s a great feeling.  Fuzzy guitars and tambourine and shakers behind a tried and tested riff that’s where this bad boy is hanging and we’re down with that for sure. ‘Knocked Out’ is an altogether nastier, sleazy slab of rock n roll.  Mashing up some Pistols with the Coop as it rushes to finish before the cops turn up and throw this track in the clink.  A welcome return for Mr. Jetson its been a while.  We missed your confident strut and your fistful of rock n roll tunes.  Keep em coming we like it! Facebook
Slumlord Radio – ‘Gonna Be A Riot’ (White Elephant records) Dirty hard-rocking mofos with a cowbell.  What’s not to like? With one foot on the wedge owned by the likes of Warrior Soul with a dash of The Forr Horsemen thrown in fo rgood measure this Michigan born beat combo is dishing up a shitstorm of hard-rockin’ tunes with plenty of attitude and for extra bonus points, who doesn’t love a band who kick out the jams on ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’. they treat it with due care and attention and don’t fuck it up but give it plenty of menacing roffola which is cool and add in that beautiful 1 finger piano riff – check it out. Pick it up Here
Lucy And The Rats – ‘Dark Clouds’/’Get Down’ (Stardumb Records, Dirty Water Records) Taken from their second album this new single is Lucy raining down some wonderful power pop on us. With lush melodies on the chorus its atop glimpse into what we can expect from the new album (hopefully), it is rounded off with a thoroughly splendid guitar break. If only all power-pop singles were this good, the charts would be in much better shape if Lucy was in the top 10 and when you got in your car for the ride to work this happened to be blaring on the radio. Until that happens go visit the band on their Facebook page and check em out – you won’t be disappointed Facebook
Eddie Money & The Grave – The Lost 79 tapes (Still Unbeatable Records)The Lost 1979 Manchester Studio Recordings + new bonus track! Recently discovered in the USA and sent over to the UK! Remastered from the original tapes! Original 1979 Power Pop Punk! Available on 7” vinyl 45rpm with a limited run on coloured vinyl you have to check this out just for the lyrics.  Absolute class and of its time.  It’s one for fans of The Boys and classic power-pop-punk rock.  Its got that analogue crackle for good measure to give all the audiophiles a warm tingle when playing this one. Buy Here
Cockroach Clan – A New England (Fysisk Format) A song that’s been covered a couple of times and some gets the Cockroach Clan treatment.  It did test my gag reflex watching the video with Farage and Widdicombe flashing up on the screen waving their butchers aprons but hey ho it takes all sorts I guess.  It’s a decent stab at a great tune but sadly not as good as the original or the Kirsty McCall version but its worth a listen and stick with the video even after the intro the outro is worth the wait.  Nice one guys!

Go Mod Go! – ‘Duke’s Jetty’ (Fandango Records, Ghost Highway Recordings, KOTJ Records)  Go Mod Go! Whats not to like here.  It’s something totally different and harks back to the swinging 60s for sure.  A project consisting of Jake Starr (Adam West, Jake Starr and The Delicious Fullness) and Tom Barrick (Adam West) featuring a 10-piece powerhouse band with horns, keyboards, and a dynamic woman vocalist.

After the band recorded their debut album “Alright!”, they went into the studio to record a few new songs with original vocalist Jamie Boyd. Jamie soon left the band and was replaced by superstar vocalist Mundy, and the band started recording their upcoming second album.

These two songs are the final recordings with Jamie and showcase the 60s garage side (“Duke’s Jetty”) and the sultry French Yé-Yé side (“Zou Bisou Bisou”). Oh, la la tre bien Mr. Starr this is something left of centre and why not? Released on a limited edition 7″ of 200 on bubblegum pink vinyl, this is the perfect bridge between Go Mod Go! albums. Kiss kiss! Bandcamp

POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit F – Another Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare

POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit F – Another Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare

POP CULTURE SCHLOCK at RPM: Exhibit F – Another Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare

Roll up, roll up; get your hastily-typed feature on a long-forgotten piece of RnR history here! It’s good to be back among the virtual pages of RPM once again as I dust off another rocking relic from the Pop Culture Schlock archive for your reading pleasure. This month I make my first foray into the physical media section of said collection and, as you’re reading this, I’m speculating that you too love collections of physical media…

‘Twas a late Eighties afternoon when I found my hetero-life-mate, Chris Greaves (velvet- fingered axeman extraordinaire famed for his work with seminal acts such as Judgement, Gangland, Big Guns, and Gallini), wide-eyed at the news that ‘The Edge of Hell’ now graced the shelves at one of our many (now, sadly, long-lost) video shops. ‘The Edge of Hell’, to the uninitiated (not us, obviously), was the alternate title given to the UK video release of 1987’s ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare’, one of two entries for director John Fasano in the (much too short) list of Eighties Heavy Metal Horror Movies – the following year’s Carmine Appice-starring Black Roses being the second. It was another name on the credits, transformed into a painted, muscle-bound warrior on the VHS cover art, that piqued the interest of us Eighties metal kids, however…

Jon Mikl Thor was the first Canadian to win both the Mr. Canada and Mr. USA bodybuilding titles. He was also the first Canadian to wrap a micstand around the neck of a pretend milkman live on UK Saturday morning children’s television show, No. 73. An infamous performance at the Marquee paved the way for Thor’s manly explosion over British pop culture – singles ‘Let the Blood Run Red’ and ‘Thundra on the Tundra’, plucked from 1985’s ‘Only the Strong’ long player, making a bicep-shaped dent in both the UK charts and consciousness – before North America caught on and he was cast in his first movie role; playing Thunderhead in Police Academy rip-off, ‘Recruits’. His next two movie roles are the ones that he is truly remembered for, though.

 

‘Zombie Nightmare’ starred Tia Carrere and Adam West and found Thor as a slain baseball player resurrected (via voodoo!) to avenge his death. The soundtrack featured Motörhead, Girlschool, Fist, and Virgin Steele and, as an indicator to the movie’s quality, it was featured on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It was ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare’, however, that really put Jon Mikl Thor on the movie map. Thor played John Triton – frontman of the band, Triton – who travelled to an isolated Canadian farmhouse to record some new music par excellence not knowing that said location was littered with demons! The twist at the end of the flick, as Satan himself (a big friggin’ ant thing – who knew?!) appeared, was that John Triton was in fact the archangel known as the Intercessor. Forget your Keyser Söze reveal – this is the real shit! Anyway, the Intercessor showed El Diablo the four corners of the farmhouse and a Heavy Metal Horror Icon was born. Seriously, you need the Synapse Films special edition DVD release of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare’ in your collection.

 

So, the Heavy Metal Horror Movie subgenre is woefully short of quality entrants. ‘Trick or Treat’, ‘Black Roses’, ‘Hard Rock Zombies’, ‘Rocktober Blood’, the Easy Action-featuring ‘Blood Tracks’, the Traci Lords-starring ‘Shock ‘em Dead’ are the essentials alongside ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare’; wannabe flicks like ‘Death Metal Zombies’ and ‘After Party Massacre’ honoured to join them, nevergonnabe movies like ‘Queen of the Damned’ and ‘Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal’ desperate to be considered in the same cult movie circles as Sammi Curr, John Triton, and Billy “Eye” Harper. BUT, and it’s a big ol’ but, did you know that one of those notorious metal movies actually had a sequel that limped out into the ether almost two decades after the original movie’s release? Of course you didn’t because it was filmed straight to digital video, released straight to home video, and did as much business as The Wild Family’s album. That movie is, drum roll please, 2005’s ‘Intercessor: Another Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare’.

 

Yes, RPM-people, a sequel to one of the most infamous rock-related movies of all time was released over a decade ago and hardly any of us knew about it. The shame!

 

In the so-bad-it’s-good stakes, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare’ is right up there with the classics. After importing ‘Intercessor: Another Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare’ from the States, paying way too much for it, and forcing myself to sit through it twice, I’m not even sure that it reaches the heights of just bad. It is, in fact, diabolical. But, as I learned from cribbing all John Waters’ writings, there is such a thing as good bad taste… and I needed to give my good bad tastebuds a treat that they wouldn’t forget in a hurry…

‘Intercessor: Another Rock ’n’ Roll Nightmare’ is a no-budget flick that makes Thor’s appearance on No. 73 look like Emmy Award-winning television. The late John Fasano got a producing credit, and as for acting credits – well, I’m sure every single one contravenes the Trade Descriptions Act. The plot revolves around a feud between Zompira, King of the Undead, and Mephisto, a dark sorcerer from the depths of Hell. A spell has allowed these miscreants to come to Earth in order to corrupt and devour the souls of the innocent. Caught up in all of this is Harry, a long-haired loner with a crutch, arm brace, and a penchant for drawing muscle-bound comic-book heroes. He has a crush on his neighbour, Julie, and keeps in contact with her via walkie-talkie. This was 2005, remember! He lives with his sewing-obsessed aunt and, POW, there’s a zombie attack where she gets turned, Julie gets abducted, and the world is in danger. I know this because I gave myself a migraine struggling to hear what the fuck was going on due to the movie’s terrible sound. Harry dresses up like a member of Raven – shoulder pads, gridiron helmet with ‘Tritons’ logo (tenuous link to previous flick) – and starts offing the undead with his crutch. I’ve actually made this all sound quite good. DON’T trust me on this one!

 

Meanwhile, a muscle-bound loner in a Man from Del Monte hat duffs up a rude customer in a coffee shop – “I’m just trying to enjoy my coffee…” – and you’ll never guess who it is. It’s John Triton, the Intercessor; cursed to wander the Earth as a mortal! Cursed, that is, until Harry is offed and his NFL helmet morphs into the Intercessor’s Crimson Glory-esque face mask. Now, bedecked with cape and mask, and with a weapon that looks like a dog-dick-dildo, the Intercessor is ready to take on all nefarious ne’er-do-wells! He keeps the dogs away by fighting a vicious canine (complete with ludicrous dubbed-on human doing dog impression sound) – “Stop hound!” – then gets attacked by a tree branch. He takes on some am-dram witches – “I never wanted to hit a woman but… thou is not!” – and gets involved in some chopsocky fighting that makes vintage British Saturday afternoon wrestling look like the Bolshoi Ballet.

The special effects look like they came from a shitty iPhone app – not unlike a video I made years ago that showed Adam Bomb getting blown up by laser missiles as he shredded onstage at the Doll’s House in Abertillery – and, even though I have a penchant for bad movies, I struggled to get through this one mentally unscathed. I suggest that the only way to truly enjoy this one is via a house party where Absinthe imbibing and marker-sniffing is rife. You’re all invited – Adam Bomb is playing. Bring a pretend missile.

 

I’ll be back next month, souring the festive season with another nostalgia-driven column. Feel free to join me – I’m sure that I’ll luck out soon and one of these articles will actually be interesting! Remember, look them in the eyes, knock them down to size, no-one must oppose the Metal Avenger…

 

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