Various Artists – ‘Black Lives Matter’ (YeahRight! Records)

Various Artists – ‘Black Lives Matter’ (YeahRight! Records)

Canadian Label Yeah Right Records have put together a pretty impressive compilation album to download and today is the last chance to download it as they’re tallying up the proceeds to send off to the charity so don’t hesitate.

There’s a common saying that goes back centuries which states that evil prevails when good people do nothing.  We’re witnessing the culmination of years of outrage at a lack of justice as it spills out into the city streets.  Things have to change.  We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, and we step aside so that their voice may be more clearly heard.

Proceeds from this compilation will be donated to
Black Lives Matter blacklivesmatter.com and blacklivesmatter.ca
and The Black Solidarity Fund Canada www.canadahelps.org/en/black-solidarity-fund/ (donations are matched by a corporate sponsor until July 31st)

Power to the people.

Cover art features an iconic image of Tommie Smith from the 1968 Olympic Games, raising a black-gloved fist on the medal podium while receiving his gold medal for the 200 metre dash.

If you want a few pretty good rock and roll reasons to dig deep then let’s not shy away from 31 bands from 15 cities, each artist appears courtesy of themselves. The exclusive songs on offer like the Awesome Black Halos demo of ‘For You’ or The Streetwalkin Cheetahs who bring ‘Scorpio Rising’ now if that’s not enough reason to part with $7 I don’t know what is.  But hold your horses because there’s more Sick Things add some much-needed cowbell with ‘You Know It Aint Right’.  But wait the excellent ancient Shapes rock up with ‘Separation Anxiety’.

Christ, Red Army are on here as well as Tricky Woo damn this might just be one of the best compilation albums ever never mind this year. Dboy and The Spitfires have entries as well haha! I’m laughing as I think its a steal at such a low buy-in as you get so much bang for your buck and it would be remiss of me to not let you know that Biters are on here as well as the super sleazy rock and roll bubblegum rock of Midnight Towers.

 

There’s a whole host of new bands on me as well that now need investigating and if they’re on a comp as good as this and a label as cool as Yeah Right then I’d be pretty fuckin stupid to not check em out.  Don’t delay folks as this supports a great cause which is really the main thrust of it but to get this much cool music is a bonus.

Never stop fighting good causes and a huge amount of kudos to all the bands and the label for getting behind this. Rock for good causes kids you know it makes sense.

Buy the download Here

blacklivesmatter.com / blacklivesmatter.ca   / Black-solidarity-fund

Facebook – Yeah Right Records

Author: Dom Daley

Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts – New ‘Covers’ EP details

Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts – New ‘Covers’ EP details

Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts was due to be opening act for Mötley Crüe stadium tour starting this month before it was postponed to 2021, however, despite this, Tuk is thrilled to announce the release of the new EP Covers From The Quarantine on 12th June 2020, via Better Noise Music. The release will be available on streaming platforms and can be accessed here.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic the music industry is now in flux, live performances are on hold, and the music community, as we know it, has been forced to adapt to these new challenges. Covers From The Quarantine is Tuk’s resilient contribution to the music community, throughout the quarantine period he kept creating new material and performing originals & covers for rock lovers with his bi-weekly live-streams.

Tuk comments: “I decided to record some acoustic cover songs in my attic home studio to keep sane during the covid-19 lockdown. These songs and EP are not a representation of who I am as an artist, I just felt like I should try and contribute with something creative and positive in such uncertain times. Also, with all my tours being cancelled or postponed and my album pushed back I feel like it’s important to stay connected with fans. When picking the track list I chose them based off my moods during the quarantine. I recorded this EP without electric guitars and just used acoustic, keys, and some drum samples to make up my one-man band. It definitely gives the body of songs a vibe of its own.”

LA Weekly, in their endorsement of his streamed performances, says: “The guy has a glorious sound that straddles the line between glitter stomp and punk poet“. This is spirit behind Covers From The Quarantine, a collection of Tuk’s favourite tracks recorded in his attic studio, served stripped down to their very powerful core: David Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’, INXS’s ‘Don’t Change’, Lana Del Rey’s ‘Summertime Sadness’ and more.

Each song on the EP represents a moment, a mood of Tuk’s quarantine. He continues: “David Bowie’s ‘Life on Mars’ was the biggest challenge for me to translate. The chord structure and arrangement are pretty unconventional once you open the hood up. It’s always good to push yourself so I enjoyed it. Bowie has continued to be a staple of inspiration for years so thought I’d take a swing at it. Hope he digs it.”

When speaking about INXS’s Don’t Change Tuk says: “I’ve been wanting to cover ‘Don’t Change’ for a few years now live with a band and just never got around to it.”

Another key track on the EP is Lana Del Rey’s Summertime Sadness: “In ‘Summertime Sadness’ I had to change a few words out to be sang from my perspective … listen close and you’ll hear me mention a Rod Stewart hairdo and my Cuban heel boots. This song was way out of my comfort zone and wheelhouse … I still struggle whether or not I should have done it … oh well! Once again, I wanted to challenge myself and see what would happen. At the end of the day a good tune is a good tune. The lyric and feeling of it seem appropriate for the times.”

Tuk Smith bleeds for rock & roll, the kind that stays true to its roots, the kind the classics were built on. After building a career as the frontman for BITERS, Tuk will be launching his solo career with his band The Restless Hearts on his Better Noise debut Looking For Love, Ready For War. Produced by the legendary Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Phil Collins, Kid Rock), the album unifies multiple musical styles and showcases the versatility of Tuk’s songwriting. Tuk Smith & Restless Hearts were set to join Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard and Joan Jett on their epic US stadium tour this summer; however, due to Covid-19 pandemic all touring activity is currently on hold.

Covers From The QuarantineTrack Listing:             
1.  Don’t Change
2.  Life On Mars
3. Hard Luck Woman
4. Summertime Sadness
5. Behind Blue Eyes

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Fast Eddy Get ‘Lost’

Fast Eddy Get ‘Lost’

This little belter sneaked out onto the interweb in the last 24 hours so we thought it was our duty to share it with you the good people who check out RPM. Spaghetty Town Records and Boulevard Trash are releasing a 7″ entitled ‘Toofer One’ this vinyl will sell out,  This one has three songs, all produced by Tuk Smith (Heart Attacks, Biters, Tuk Smith and the Restless Hearts) the video is for ‘Lost’ now get out of here and spread the word! the video for one of the other tracks ‘Hurricane Alley# is also on the net but you have to look for that bad boy.

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Black Heart Breakers – Rotting Out (Self Release)

Black Heart Breakers – Rotting Out (Self Release)

Dom Daley.

Australian rock and rollers are back in their corner taking another swing

Australia has got a fine pedigree for making top-notch punk rock n roll from the saints through Radio Birdman and more recently The Chats, Amyl & The Sniffers and who can ignore Main Street Brats and Living End and Cosmic Psychos.  Well kids add Black Heart Breakers to that list as their coming of age release is with us.  Rotting Out might only have six tunes on it but they are the best the band have written so far and show a quality of songwriting they’ve not displayed thus far and I’m somebody who liked what they’ve done before when I say liked I loved it.

Having knuckled down and earned their stripes by playing shows with the likes of Radio Birdman this Sydney four-piece have stepped up a notch and deserve your ears for what amasses to six songs in sixteen minutes and within those sixteen minutes, they capture some real genuine magic.  They marry some classic influences and make something that isn’t just a copy but have moulded their influences into something they can claim to be their own which isn’t something that every band achieves and isn’t easy to do.

‘Why Not Me’ starts with a thunderous bass and floor tom work out that harnesses some pace and aggression as we hurtle to the gang vocals that the likes of the Living End have made a living off.  The production is sharp and sympathetic to the passion that is obvious to anyone listening.  It’s great to hear a band firing on all cylinders straight out of the blocks and if this slab of punk rock and roll is an indication of what’s to come then play on!

The band has made no secrets of loving the Ramones and to be honest there might not be enough bands out there that hold dear the melodies that Da Brothers used to hack out but Black Heart Breakers understand this and thrive off it. ‘Melody’ might be about a young lady but if she’s listening then she’s gonna be one happy lady because this is excellent. The playing is noticeably better than anything they’ve done before as ‘Angels Take Me’ has some sumptuous basslines rolling through its melodic sub-three minutes of punk rock.

Had someone like Green Day released ‘Save Me’ people would be drooling over it and the gang vocals I bet are great live and having one converse foot firmly planted in Dee Dee’s lyric book it’s all good now let’s go Hey Ho!. But the best is coming over the horizon as ‘Burning Out’ introduces a horn section and as I raise an eyebrow as soon as the first toots hit my speakers I’m sold.  This is the finest few minutes that Hayden and the boys have had so far.  What a song! The breakdown is Clash-tastic and I mean that as a badge of honour and in no way a bad thing.  Fantastic track.

To take this mini album home ‘Giving Up’ is a laid-back tune about friendship that builds and builds sure it’s been done a million times but if the song works then do it and this works a treat.  I love the rolling drums on the build-up to the chorus and the solo is on fire! Tres bien boys tres bien.  One of the most rounded and best mini albums I’ve heard all year. Check out Black Heart Breakers because the world needs youngsters like these they make old men like me fall in love with music over and over again. Cheers!

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Biters Go on indefinite hiatus

Biters Go on indefinite hiatus

Biter frontman Tuk announced through the band’s twitter account that they will be on an indefinite hiatus.  After some fantastic EP’s and two excellent albums we move onto the next chapter and hopefully, it won’t be too long before Tuk and the rest of the band are back rocking and rolling with whatever they decide to do next.  We can only agree that Rock and Roll never dies and we see Tuk, Matt, Phil and Joey real soon.

Buy Biters Here