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Fake Names – New Album, New Video, European Tour

Fake Names – New Album, New Video, European Tour

NEW ALBUM PUNK RUINS OUT OCTOBER 23 VIA EPITAPH RECORDS

FEATURING MEMBERS OF BAD RELIGION, REFUSED, ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT, GIRLS AGAINST BOYS & THE FAITH

FIRST EUROPEAN TOUR EVER STARTS JANUARY 2027

  “FAKE NAMES are doing their own thing on their own time and doing it fantastically. Nobody said the revolution had to be boring.” – Distorted Sound Magazine

Punk mainstays Fake Names are back with their third studio album, Punk Ruins, out October 23. Their first new music in three years, today they share the new song/video for “Until It’s Normal,” the guitar-driven album opener that airs frustration with those who believe in today’s Fascist propaganda.

Punk Ruins finds guitarists Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Bad Religion) and Michael Hampton (S.O.A., Embrace, The Faith), vocalist Dennis Lyxzén (Refused, INVSN), bassist Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys, Soulside), and new drummer Mario Rubalcaba (Rocket From The Crypt, OFF!) effortlessly merging D.C. post-hardcore with modern power-pop. Throughout, Punk Ruins dissects the political manipulation and social neurosis of modern life, while holding onto punk’s salvation.

Recorded at the legendary Electrical Audio studio in Chicago and working with producer Matthew Barnhardy (Superchunk, Bob Mould), Punk Ruins transcends genre as the ultimate amalgam of fury and fun. “We recorded twelve songs in five days, and all of them are on the album,” Baker explains, adding that Lyxzén tracked his vocals in a single day. “One of the advantages of us all working at home is there’s plenty of time to figure out what you’re going to do,” Baker says when asked how the band were able to create such a fully formed album in the time some of their other acts have spent solely on pre-production. “I know what the guitar solo is going to be because I’ve already done it at home and sent it to Michael to tweak it,” he adds. “It’s not as hard as you think.”

“This album is a collective expression and a lot of the fun is seeing how the hell it is going to turn out,” Baker shares, adding that the musicianship of the other players helped elevate his and Hampton’s initial ideas into something far beyond what they anticipated. Tracks like “Diamond Buzz” provide a hypnotic groove while the title track showcases the band’s undeniable D.C. hardcore sound, with Lyxzén belting out his vocals, elevating the song’s already razor-sharp hooks.

Fake Names is a “mutual admiration society,” according to Baker, melding 70’s UK punk with classic hardcore energy and dynamic guitar-driven power-pop. The band released their classic rock-leaning self-titled debut in 2020, followed by 2023’s Expendables, produced by Adam “Atom” Greenspan (IDLES, Yeah Yeah Yeahs), who helmed a sonically cleaner, richer sound for the group.

Fake Names will be heading out on their first European tour ever in January 2027, making stops in Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Austria and the UK. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://fakenamesofficial.com/tour.

Fake Names Tour Dates

 Jan 26 – Umeå, SE – Stage Umeå

Jan 28 – Paris, FR – Glazart

Jan 29 – Cologne, DE – Club Volta

Jan 30 – Munich, DE – Backstage      

Feb 01 – Milano, IT – Legend Club

Feb 02 – Ljubljana, SI – Kino Siska

Feb 03 – Vienna, AT – Arena

Feb 05 – Hamburg, DE – Knust

Feb 06 – Berlin, DE – Lido

Feb 07 – London, UK – Underworld

FOLLOW FAKE NAMES

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | WEBSITE

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REBELLION FESTIVALS – STAGES AND TIMES FOR BOTH REBELLION AND R-FEST!

REBELLION FESTIVALS – STAGES AND TIMES FOR BOTH REBELLION AND R-FEST!

REBELLION FESTIVALS ANNOUNCE STAGES AND TIMES FOR BOTH REBELLION AND R-FEST!

TIME TO START PLANNING YOUR SCHEDULES!

R-FEST – A NEW OUTDOOR FESTIVAL IN FRONT OF BLACKPOOL TOWER AUGUST 4-7, 2022, IN ADDITION TO REBELLION AT THE WINTER GARDENS

It’s the news Rebellion Festival regulars have been waiting for! Now is the time to start planning and scheduling as stages and times for both Rebellion Festival in The Winter Gardens and the new R-Fest outdoor festival, situated in front of Blackpool Tower on the promenade directly down from the Winter Gardens, have been announced.

With so many bands playing across the multiple stages at The Winter Gardens, and now the R-Fest outdoor stage, there is inevitably going to be clashes of some people’s favourite bands, so meticulous planning is essential for those who want to see all of their preferences!

Full line-up, times and stages for both Rebellion and R-Fest here: https://www.rebellionfestivals.com/line-up

Rebellion Festival is the largest punk and alternative festival in the world and is returning this year to full-strength for the first time since 2019 due to the pandemic, with a robust line-up of punk legends that includes Sham 69, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, Cock Sparrer and Stiff Little Fingers among many, many more.

R-FEST will be located slap bang in front of Blackpool Tower on the promenade, directly down from the Winter Gardens. The organisers are building an arena with the sea on one side and the town on the other, with a capacity for 15,000 punters and space for bars, food, and band merchandise.

The full line-up for R-Fest is.

THURSDAY 4th AUGUST: Levellers, Hawkwind, Misty in Roots, Dreadzone, Ferocious Dog, Beans on Toast, Millie Manders and the Shut Up

FRIDAY 5th AUGUST: The Stranglers, The Undertones, The Skids, From the Jam, Toyah, Jilted John, The Vapors

SATURDAY 6th AUGUST: Gary Numan, Peter Hook & the Light, Pop Will Eat Itself, Spear of Destiny, The Wedding Present, Primitives, Pete Bentham & the Dinner Ladies

SUNDAY 7th AUGUST: Squeeze, Billy Bragg, Tom Robinson Band, Hollie Cook, Buzzcocks, Altered Images, I, Doris

Tickets available here: https://rebellion.keekmerch.com/

Head to www.rebellionfestivals.com/r-fest for all info and tickets.  

Bad Religion – Hit the Road

Bad Religion – Hit the Road

US punks Bad Religion head to the UK next week for a quick headline tour tickets are still available from badreligion.com

6/3/2022            Bad Religion      London O2 Forum Kentish Town   

6/4/2022            Bad Religion      Manchester       Academy One             

6/5/2022            Bad Religion      Newcastle          University             

6/7/2022            Bad Religion      Nottingham       Rock City             

6/8/2022            Bad Religion      Bristol   Marble Factory

Bottlekids – ‘Zilch’ (SBAM Records)

Bottlekids – ‘Zilch’ (SBAM Records)

Chepstow, South Wales is the place, and three-piece punk rockers Bottlekids are the band. They get set to release this six-track EP via Sbam and blow the top off this EP with a punchy drop kick melodic breakneck punk rock. The EP kicks off with ‘Already Dead’ as it thrashes out of the traps in a blur of colour along the lines of Bad Religion meets Anti Flag, it’s polished and rough at the same time courtesy of having your record produced by legend Romesh Dodangoda (who has a wealth of experience covering Bring me the Horizon, Motorhead and Funeral for a Friend. It has a tonne of energy and punches with the big boys with a great production it’s sharp and clear as a bell.

The pace is maintained through ‘Peachy’ until we reach the breakdown but it’s only a brief moment whilst we gather our breath before going back in for the kill. When the band eases back (‘This Idiocracy’) there are touches of Taking back Sunday amongst others influencing the style and sound.

They pick up the pace on ‘The Irreplaceable Past’ with its hooky chorus and more measured verse its the pick of the tracks on offer. We are then dusted off before being thrown into the mixer with ‘Sick’ – a suitable banger to close off an impressive EP. With a great work ethic to touring and rounding off their chosen craft Bottlekids now have an EP to champion and the world is their oyster, with a fair wind behind their backs they can achieve anything. Time to Blast off!

Buy Here

Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp.com

Album art by Leia Thomas

Author: Dom Daley

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The Muslims release punk rock video for new single

The Muslims release punk rock video for new single

All-gay, Muslim punk band who unapologetically use music as a vessel to call out racism, the American political landscape, and white supremacy. The signing news is being launched with a new video/song called “Fuck These Fuckin Fascists”

Website /  Instagram / Facebook / Twitter

Epitaph Records is an artist-first indie label founded in Los Angeles by Bad Religion guitarist, Brett Gurewitz. Early releases from a variety of punk heavyweights helped launch the 90s punk explosion. Along the way, Epitaph has grown and evolved creatively while sticking to its mission of helping real artists make great recordings on their own terms.  So here are The Muslims – Enjoy

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REBELLION FESTIVAL 2021 CANCELLED

REBELLION FESTIVAL 2021 CANCELLED

 I guess it was edging ever closer so a decision had to be made sooner rather than later but every cloud has a silver lining and get your diary out and pencil at the ready.

REBELLION FESTIVAL 2021 CANCELLED

 

NO INSURANCE, NO GUIDELINES, NO GUARANTEES, NO RE-ENTRY = NO FESTIVAL!

FESTIVAL CONFIRMED TO RETURN 2022 AUGUST 4TH – 7TH AT THE WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

www.rebellionfestivals.com

 

 

This time last year the organisers of Rebellion, the world’s largest punk festival, were forced to make the heartbreaking decision to cancel the four-day event due to the global pandemic. A year on and the dedicated Rebellion team are absolutely devastated to confirm that yet again, the hugely-anticipated event, due to take place this coming August 6th – 9th with legendary artists such as Circle Jerks, Bad Religion, The Undertones, Tom Robinson and Stiff Little Fingers, at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool, is no longer able to go ahead.

Despite the intention, desire and willingness of Rebellion, the venue, the bands and the local businesses for this year to go ahead, it has become increasingly clear that due to circumstances beyond the festival’s control, it can’t. With no clear guidelines from the government in terms of insurance, guarantees, policies on re-entry, testing and potential vaccine passports, the festival simply can’t go ahead.

Rebellion has been open and transparent throughout this pandemic and were hopeful (but cautious) about this year but required a few essential things to be confirmed for the event to go head. The feeling is that music festivals are being ‘timed out’. No one is saying they CAN’T go ahead, but nothing is in place yet that means they CAN either. That is why the last few weeks have seen many independent festivals take the tough decision to cancel.

All of this, combined with the ongoing global travel restrictions means that Rebellion would not be able to put on the event that they desire, and their audience expects. The Rebellion family is global. Around a third of the people that attend are from overseas and with no touring bands (many agents and bands from overseas have pulled their European tours and rescheduled them for 2022), it would simply not be the festival that Rebellion wanted to stage.

But there is some good news. Rebellion 2021 has been moved to 2022. Both 2020 and 2021 tickets will roll over to 2022. For those of you wanting a refund, visit the website where full details are published. All day tickets will be refunded automatically.

REBELLION 2022 is 4th – 7th August. So put that in your diary! Some surprise headliners have already been confirmed, plus many reconfirmed that were due to play this year. And don’t get rid of your hotel or B&B bookings for this year just yet as there is still hope that some kind of scaled back event this year is possible. Watch this space.

Tickets for 2022 will go on sale on Monday August 9th.

The RETURN OF REBELLION 2022 is going to be massive! The exciting news is the council have agreed for the festival to have the area of the promenade right in front of Blackpool Tower (Tower Headland, on the ‘comedy carpet’). This is an amazing space for an outdoor stage. A straight walk down from the Winter Gardens. Rebellion can double the capacity with this area and have some fantastic plans to make both sites amazing.

To better times. And a colossal Rebellion 2022!

 

For full statement read here: www.rebellionfestivals/news  Head to www.rebellionfestivals.com for more information.

 

Twitter: @rebellionfest  Facebook:  Facebook

 

 

American Television – ‘Watch It Burn’ (Wiretap Records)

American Television – ‘Watch It Burn’ (Wiretap Records)

American Television are a punk rock band outta DC.  They play fast and are a throwback to the kind of punk that swamped MTV back in the day. At times they remind me of the likes of Anti Flag, Bad Religion and of course Green Day.  This is their debut album and for the Genre their hitting outta they do it really well. The band themselves say that its an album of ten tracks of pop melodies with a punk rock attitude and that’s a fair assessment of what ‘Watch It Burn’ is all about.  There is an air of being uplifted by the songs and that’s always a good thing, right? Like their genre compadres Anti Flag they feel that the “Man” is crushing the man and money and greed is taking over above the greater good and I like that and you can hear it in their lyrics.  Bands like American Television offer hope and are eternal optimists and that’s always cool.

 

I particularly love the bass thud of ‘Drinks’ – married with the thunderous riff its the standout song. Close on its heels is ‘Dad’s Song’ which is probably reflected right around the globe currently. to be fair when you dig into the album the guts of the tracklist is really strong and songs pop out the more you play it. ‘Technology’ is grabbing me at the moment followed by the harder-edged ‘Wasteland, USA’ with its sub-two minutes heads down and hit it hard attitude.

Something of a call to arms for all the disenfranchised and misfits out there ‘Misprint’ is autobiographical and something many punks can relate to and it’s wrapped up in a good tune and they reference Greg from Bad Religion to boot.  If you’re waiting for the slow heartfelt set-ender then forget it.  these guys light the torch and carry it on ‘Great Divide’ reminding me of the Downtown Struts and that’s always a cool sound.  Check it out I really liked it and can only see it growing on me even more.

Facebook / Instagram / WireTap Records

Buy ‘Watch It Burn’ Here

Author: Dom Daley

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JUNKYARD “Old Habits Die Hard” CD/LP/T-Shirt Bundle Pre-sale!

JUNKYARD “Old Habits Die Hard” CD/LP/T-Shirt Bundle Pre-sale!
Acetate Records unleashes Junkyard’s previously unreleased 1992 album “Old Habits Die Hard” on November 22!
“Junkyard is not a band from the 80s. Junkyard is not a band from the 90s. Junkyard is pure kick-ass bar-hopping motorcycle-ridin’ rock n roll that seems as relevant today as when they first started.” – Riki Rachtman

Junkyard opens the vault and blows the dust off a killer collection of recordings slated as the follow up to 1991’s “Sixes, Sevens and Nines.” Guitarist Brian Baker’s (Bad Religion, Minor Threat) opening riff serves up the concoction of raucous, bittersweet, bloozy rock that follows. Loose and tight in good measure, with stomping beats and dual guitars zigzagging around David Roach’s raspy howl… make no bones about it – this band could play.
The strut and swagger of “Pushed You Too Far” and the soulful “Tried & True” are balanced by the slow, dirge of “Blue Sin” and the melancholic duet “Hangin’ Around With My Dreams.” “Old Habits” recalls everything from Sticky Fingers-era Stones and ZZ Top to the Ramones and Lynyrd Skynyrd (who they toured with in ’91). More than anything else, though, it sounds like Junkyard.
Back in 1992, Junkyard was a well-oiled machine, their previous two releases performed well, they had multiple videos in rotation on MTV, and successful club and arena tours under their belt. Looking to infuse more of their musical sensibilities into their third effort, they began writing and recording and in a short few months, they had compiled over 20 songs. The new material reflected more of their alt/punk roots, which wasn’t much of a directional change considering their strong punk pedigree.
But the major label’s rush to jump on the next “popular music trend” quickly led to Junkyards demise. “At this point, Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album had been out a few months and we all kinda knew which way the wind was blowing,” singer David Roach recalls, “we didn’t really ‘officially’ break up as a band, it was as simple as the party’s over.” So, with zero fanfare, the band members signed their release paperwork from Geffen (a whopping 2 page fax), gathered their gear and parted ways… the tapes were left to gather dust in the vaults.
Twenty years later, Geffen re-released the first two Junkyard albums and once again, the band was in demand. Tours of Japan and Europe followed, including a headlining slot at Serie Z Festival in Spain, and the band started writing again. In early 2017, Junkyard released “High Water”, their first full-length album in 26 years on LA indie, Acetate Records. The album peaked at 24 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Charts and Junkyard once again played to packed houses across America and Europe. With the band back in form, it seemed like the right time to dust of the tapes.
“Old Habits Die Hard” pretty well summarizes where the band was at the time,” Roach continues, “The addition of Tim Mosher (yes, way back then) brought another element to what Chris Gates and I had been doing. So it was the hard rock, blues, southern thing plus some more melodic and punk which was also a natural course considering where we came from.”
“During the months we recorded these songs we were in various stages of dealing with Geffen. Trying to write a single, but also trying to not care and write for ourselves. The songs indicate the direction we were ultimately not able to take until all these years later.”
“Old Habit’s Die Hard” will be released via streaming, CD and ‘Beer’ colored vinyl on November 22, 2019. A limited number of signed LPs will also be available via acetate.com.

A limited number of signed LPs will also be available!

Track Listing:
1. Introduction
2. Pushed You Too Far
3. Out Cold
4. Tried & True
5. Fall To Pieces
6. Blue Sin
7. Holdin’ On
8. Staredown
9. I Come Crawling
10. Hangin’ Around
11. Take Me Home
12. One Foot In The Grave

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Greg Graffin of Bad Religion Limited Edition Throbblehead

Greg Graffin of Bad Religion Limited Edition Throbblehead
Greg Graffin of Bad Religion Limited Edition Throbblehead
PRE-ORDER NOW – SHIPPING FALL 2019
Limited to 1000 hand-numbered figures

Greg Graffin the beloved frontman of Bad Religion is now a Throbblehead.

This figure is limited to just 1000 hand-numbered units, stands at 7″ tall, and is made of a high-quality polyresin.

Greg is in full on live form, holding a mic in one hand and pointing to his head with his other.

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!
 
SHIPPING FALL 2019
NOTE: For customers outside of the US, your order will take an average of 4-5 weeks to reach you via economy shipping, which does not have tracking. If tracking is needed, you can upgrade to priority shipping at an additional cost but must email us for details.

Bad Religion – Age Of Unreason (Epitaph)

Bad Religion – Age Of Unreason (Epitaph)

In a career that’s lasted nearly forty years and a whopping seventeen albums, this isn’t a band who’ve sat back and looked away from flexing their socio-political views whenever possible, and for a band with tracks like American Jesus and 21st Century (Digital Boy) that rank among their biggest, there’s been a clear response to it. And as the world continues to burn more and more each day, what better time for Bad Religion to resurface and take society’s ills to task once more?

 

Essentially its Bad Religion doing Bad Religion; For a band as right on as Bad Religion these are times that just keep giving and in return, Bad Religion keeps giving back.

As Brett Gurewitz said, “The band has always stood for enlightenment values. Today, these values of truth, freedom, equality, tolerance, and science, are in real danger. This record is our response.”

I guess it was time to don the shit kickers and kick some shit then.  From the opening frantic burst of ‘Chaos From Within’ it’s slick it’s fast it driven and the guitar solo is a ball of fire lasting the blink of an eye there’s no time for bloated introductions, it’s on with the punk rock show. ‘My Sanity’ is fast but has a heartfelt melody with lush harmonies mixing sweet tunes with fast sharp punk exactly what Bad Religion is best at.  The pace is constant for the first four songs and its not until ‘Lose Your Head’ does the pace relent.  Another excellent song By the time you get to the album highpoint that is the acoustic driven ‘Candidate’ the band demonstrates right there how vital they are and how their sound is timeless and ageless.  Graffin and Gurewitz have plenty of anger and are articulate enough to relay it through their music in a constructive and authoritative way. They go from the melodic ‘Candidate’ to the pounding ‘Faces Of Grief’ that thrashes and gasps for oxygen before ending sharply.

The ebb and flow through fourteen tracks is the sound of old pros knowing exactly how to deliver what they do to perfection its not easy staying ahead of the curve and remaining relevant in todays music scene but with such a plentiful pool of inspiration how can you not love the groove on songs like ‘Big Black Dog’ and if I’m honest the second half of this record is even stronger and the band also take a chance on breaking the pace and frantic style and their canon of songs is expanded further.

Bad Religion are one of those bands I never realise how many of their records I have until a new one comes out and I always like what I hear and am slightly taken aback at their body of work.   Yet their standards are always really high even if you probably know what you’re going to get before the needle drop. That’s not a criticism by the way if the music is consistently strong as their is which is exactly why they’ve released so many and have maintained their popularity after all these years.  Long may it continue because the world needs BAd Religion right here right now.

Buy Age Of Unreason Here

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Author: Dom Daley