You might need a thicker skin but you need to give yourself some cool credit points for tuning in to the latest episode of the Podcast as Double D and Chris’Not Too Posh To Mosh’ Davie indulge you the listeners in some pretty awesome tunes from around the globe both old and new. We kick off in style with another new track off the Hip Priests swan song EP and a cracker entitled ‘Need A Thicker Skin’ we don’t let up as Conservative Military Image bing some bovver with ‘Yard Hard’. Short but oh so sweet.
How about the latest from Amyl & The Sniffers? ‘Chewing Gum’ before we head to Sweden for some good old acoustic rock n roll courtesy of Dynamic Drinking Club cut from the same cloth as Dave Kusworth and Nikki Sudden or Johnny Thunders. Its available from Beluga Records and well worth the investment.
Repeat Records are releasing some fantastic records of underground talent and they also released this split track from SMASH and we play another on the next show as well, one of my favourite labels at the moment pumping out great bands and promoting some great shows in south Wales as well.
Another great label we always look forward to hearing what they put out is Slovenly Records and this single Scared Of Chaka and the single ‘Bated Breath’. One of the best band names we’ve come across in a while has to be The Mary Tyler Whores and their new single ‘American Sex Fiend’ what a banger this is.
Jesse Malin has a triple album (Silver Patron Saint) coming out where artists perform one of his songs and we’ve already played Billie Joe Armstrong a few weeks back and this week we offer Bruce Springsteen taking on a Malin classic and knocking it out of the park. Can’t wait to get my hands on this triple album when it comes out this month. I strongly suggest you jump in as well so you don’t miss out it’s going to be special.
As more tracks are released I’m sure we can be persuaded to play more from this.
Captain Razz and Hard Ons have new singles we air from Down Under respectively before we wake you all up with the awesome Shove and their tribute to ‘King Diamond’ before Swami And The Bed Of Nails make us a little peckish with a new one from their fantastic short but sweet album. It’s been a while since we played some Glam Rock, so we offer Starcrazy and ‘What Its Worth’ without further ado.
If you were wondering what cover we have in store this week then look no further than Boundary Breakers Asian Dub Foundation featuring Iggy Pop for a romp through his classic ‘No Fun’ done in a very Asian Dub style before we sign off this week with a Wonk Unit classic from the vault as we sign off with ‘Guts’. Join us next time kids for some more drivel chatter and the most excellent bunch of tunes anywhere. Adios Amigos until next time.
This is a remastered reissue of Jesse Malin’s third album, ‘Glitter in the Gutter’, originally released in 2007 on Green Day’s Adeline Records and then released on One Little Indian Records pressed on 200g vinyl. The album has been unavailable for years and has never appeared digitally until now. The album features Bruce Springsteen, Ryan Adams, Jakob Dylan, and more on various tracks. It also includes a bonus track, ‘The Angel To The Slave,’ which has never been released. In the words of Jesse Malin, “I am really happy to have it out there in the world again.”
Glitter didn’t have the wham bang factor of Malin’s debut nor the intrigue of its follow up and whilst people historically referred to the difficult second album I’d go for the third being the difficult one if an artist is lucky enough to make it to a third. Jesse brings out some big-hitting guests on this record to help pique some interest (not in a negative way) like the obvious inclusion of having the Boss in to sing on ‘Broken Radio’ even if Malin alluded to at a recent show he never bigged up the inclusion of Springsteen and didn’t really push it which on reflection was/is strange and more than humble. Now it’s not only included it’s been musically re-recorded for the new release.
It blows my mind that this album came out in 2007 it seems way more recent than that and the songs still sound fresh as Malin leaves behind the punk rock of D Gen way further back in that rearview mirror even if at the core of his solo work is a throbbing punk rock work ethic and core songwriting style. from the off his Noo Yawk vocal style shines through on ‘Don’t Let Them Take You Down’ and the rocker that is ‘In The Modern World’ still gives me a buzz in his live set.
People wondering why they should pick this up on Wicked cool; I’ll offer the rework of ‘Broken Radio’ for a starter and the bonus track that wasn’t on the original ‘The Angel To The Slave’. To be I loved this album when it came out and I still love it now. Its got an effortless rock n roll heart beating away with a carefree attitude on songs like ‘Lucinda’ and the brilliant ‘Love Streams’ and the melancholic yet stunning version of the Replacements classic ‘Bastards Of Young’ is worth purchasing alone.
Malin has always told a fatastic story and his songs are captivating and Glitter is one of his best examples throughout his whole career. Rotating his bands has kept a freshness throughout each album and when he rocks out he does it with style and panache and the reworked inclusion of ‘The Angel To The Slave’ makes you wonder what else he leaves on the cutting room floor. Signing off with ‘Broken Radion 22’ is a wonderful full stop to a fifteen-year-old record that needs to reach a bigger audience because music this good shouldn’t be exclusive in crowd treat. Jesse Malin is one of America’s gifts that keeps on giving time after time and record upon record. Even if you have this on CD, original vinyl or the one little Indian 200g vinyl audiophile version of this album when is enough ever enough? This album would Glitter anywhere never mind in the gutter. Buy It!
What a week for tip top single dropping on the RPM HQ doormat. Check out this handy bunch of tasty treats. Pour a drink sit back and make a playlist of these. Your day will be a banger…
The Young Hasselhoffs – ‘Life Got In The Way’ (Rum Bar Records) Omaha, Nebraska’s punk rock romantics open another Singles Club and another offering from the Excellent Lovers of Rock n Roll that are Rum Bar Records. This time it’s sprightly pick-me-up punk rock of The Young HAsselhoffs with ‘Life Got In The Way’ sure it’s Big Time Green Day inspired and why not? It has a tonne of energy, great production and makes me smile. Job done! Lifted from their forthcoming, brand new full length release ‘Life Got In The Way’ due out this Rocktober Check it out Here
Jesse Malin & Bruce Springsteen – ‘Broken Radio’ (Wicked Cool Records) The re-releasing of Jesse Malin’s “lost album, ‘Glitter in the Gutter’, and ‘Broken Radio ‘22’ is the lead single for the campaign. The track features Bruce Springsteen, along with Malin, on vocals, and is about Malin’s mom’s love for music. It is the perfect kickoff to the album campaign. Glitter in the Gutter was originally released in 2007 on Green Day’s Adeline Records, but has been out of print for years and has never appeared digitally. The 2022 version of Broken Radio is revamped with Malin’s current band, giving it a more modern update. Glitter was a great record mixing up Malins influences and pushing boundaries of what people expected from the D Gen frontman. Getting Springsteen in was a great idea but really underplayed at the time so lets hope this fresh kickstart and new coat of pain give it the energy and push this fantastic album deserves. pick it up Here
The Speedways – ‘Shoulda Known’ (Snap!!/Hurrah Musica & Beluga Records) Two brand new tracks lifted from the forthcoming album from The Speedways Who serve up the song of the summer. If you’ve been following their career, you’ll be unsurprised by the quality of tunes on offer here. An instant classic, catchy as hell, complete with key change. You know how 1979 was a year of amazing tunes from The Jags, Elvis Costello, The Korgis? ‘Shoulda Known’ is up there with the very best power pop. Honestly, I don’t know how they do it, but it’s an ongoing master class.
‘A Drop In The Ocean’ starts like a Kinks riff, before the verse comes in, shimmering with a beautiful, melancholy melody. Like any amateur songwriter, I know how hard it is to come up with the goods, but The Speedways can be relied on to deliver every time. What can I say? Listen and buy. The album of the summer? I wouldn’t bet against it. Buy Here
Words: Martin Chamarette
More Kicks – ‘Animal’ (Dirtnap Records (USA) and Stardumb Records (EU)) Opening with a guitar lick that says Hell yeah we love the knack and My Sherona is boss but this bad boy rolls further down that freewheeling hill towards the solo that just burns baby! A smoldering rock-n-roll tune that just gets better and better. Suli writes great tunes – that’s a given and this is more kicks which is most appropriate when describing this retro-drenched banger. If you were looking for more proof then flip this bad boy and ‘The Wind Up’ crackles and snaps its scuffed Cuban heels to the whig-out tempo and again it’s different from the A side but just as good. Then the third and final track is a whistful road song with acoustic guitar and cool lyrics. ’10 Miles High’ is simple yet superb! from the Dylan-esque strum to the swirling organ and gang BV’s layered in the background and then it’s done. Buy this record! Here
Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts – ‘Ballad Of A Misspent Youth‘ (MRG through Virgin/Universal) Man it’s been two years since ‘What Kinda Love’ and twelve Months since ‘Same Old You’ well kids after releasing the news of the new label signing the single ‘Ballad Of A Misspent Youth’ is released. It’s got A big Early Kiss Riff borrowed and some rock n roll lyrics, of course, Tuk is back in the room after a lengthy lay-off this needs to be played loud and over and over. check it out Here
Kurt Baker – ‘Electric Fire’ (Wicked Cool Records) Kurt Baker’s latest single, ‘Electric Fire’, is out August 19 on Wicked Cool Records. Baker wrote the track with his longtime collaborator and guitarist, Geoff Palmer. The two were inspired by their influences, such as Oasis, Elvis Presley, The Supersuckers, and more. With this release, Baker hopes to bring a little bit of light and levity to the intense and frustrating times we’ve been living. He says, “Let’s face it, we’ve been through a lot and the best cure is a little rock n roll for our soul.” We’ve been longtime admirers of Baker’s music and songwriting skills so seeing him sign to Wicked Cool seemed a great fit and the quality tunes keep coming thick and fast and ‘Electric Fire’ rolls off the conveyor belt of cool tunes. orcd.co/electricfire
Blodkvalt – ‘Decapitation’ (Fysisk Format Records) Its no secret that we have a love of Black Metal here at RPMHQ so when Fysisk Format turn in a new tune or when Fysisk Format have a new record coming out we have to check it out on reputation and so it turns out Blodkvart are bang on the money – Bleak, dark, Black as fuck. I only hope they are ok in this searing summer heat Europe is undergoing. Oslo isn’t exempt from the chaos of this heat so grab a blackpack and yomp to this motherfuckers.
Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids – ‘Pleasure Victim’ (Cargo / Ray Records) The second single lifted from the magnificent debut album from former Last Great Dreamer, Slyder and the boys bang out ‘Pleasure Victim’ an exciting rush of energy that harks back to Wardour Streets Marquee and the likes of Hanoi kicking out the jams this, is a thumper in that vein.
Great rolling lick before the chug leads the way on the verse before some cool stabs and a solo that’s like a gob full of space dust as the six-string slides by. Bang and then it’s done! Banger of a tune – trust me! Pre-save it here
Automatics – ‘Wild Ride Through Wonderland’ It’s a big sweeping acoustic-driven slice of Rock n Roll with a dreamy tempo. It’s a grower of a tune that if it were on the radio you’d turn the dial up and you’d be singing along with the roof down as you zip through the winding country lanes. It features Neil Frost and it is a 2022 reworking of the song which originally featured on the ‘Star Maps Of The Underworld’ album, check it out here
Slim Jim Phantom – ‘Speed Of Sound’ (Wicked Cool Records) Wow! Slim Jim Phantom of The Stray Cats has joined the Wicked Cool Records family. ‘Speed of Sound’ is a digital single and what a banger it is. The track packs a punch in under two minutes and doesn’t hang about – wham bang thank you man. I wasn’t expecting this and then when it hits you – man that was a rush. Rock n Roll royalty is in the house and this is excellent. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before we get an album and if it’s this strong then it’ll be a highlight make no mistake about that. Find it and turn It UP!!! Record of the week? Absolutely!!!
Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners – ‘Lately Always’ (Wicked Cool Records) A sidestep to the left for Ginger Wildheart but if his debut album for Wicked Cool was an indication of the quality we can expect and on the strength of this then the Sinners album promises to be a real contender come the end of the year. Check out the video below
Gates of the West & Dark Horse Records present ‘A Song For Joe: Celebrating the Birthday of Joe Strummer’ on Friday, August 21 at 8pm BST / 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT.
Taking place on Joe’s birthday, the event will honor Joe’s legacy and feature performances and testimonials by many of the former Clash front man’s friends and notable names in the music & arts community, as well as never-before-seen Joe Strummer live footage.
“To see so many musicians and artists come forward to honor Joe is really touching,” says Joe’s wife Lucinda Tait. “Community was always important to him. Whether it was playing music with friends, organizing all night campfires, or hijacking festivals, Joe was always focused on bringing people together. Even though we can’t all be in the same room together, I cannot think of a better way for us all to feel united. Joe would have loved this.”
Joe Strummer (never before seen live footage), Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes), Beto O’Rourke, Bob Gruen,Bob Weir, Brian Fallon, Bruce Springsteen, Butch Walker, Cait O’Riordan (The Pogues), C.C. Adcock, Cherry Glazerr, Craig Finn & Tad Kubler (The Hold Steady), Dave Hause, Dhani Harrison, DJ Scratchy, Dropkick Murphys,
Eugene Hütz (Gogol Bordello), Frank Turner, HR (Bad Brains), Hinds, The Interrupters, Jesse Dayton, Jesse Malin,
Jim Jarmusch, Joe Ely, Josh Cheuse, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), Lucinda Williams, Lyza Jane, Matt Dillon, Nikolai Fraiture (The Strokes), Ray Gange (Rude Boy), Richard Dudanski (101ers), Sara Driver, Shepard Fairey, Spider Stacy (The Pogues), Steve Buscemi, Tom Morello , + very special guests
This free event will benefit Save Our Stages, which is being spearheaded by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to preserve and protect the USA’s independent live music venues and promoters.
Save Our Stages
The mission of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live music venues and promoters throughout the United States. NIVA is making a final push to Congress to pass the Save Our Stages Act and the Restart Act in order to keep independent venues nationwide from closing permanently. Take action here.
Gates of the West
Jesse Malin & Jeff Raspe created Love It To Life and the Gates Of The West shows to bring together some of the best musicians and celebrate the music of Joe Strummer and The Clash. Every show is a benefit for The Joe Strummer Foundation, Music & Memory and other charities. The six sold-out shows to date, have featured many special guests performing songs written and performed by Strummer and The Clash.
The newie from the Southern US songwriter, storyteller and actor is a concept record broadly inspired by the horrors of the Vietnam war and its ongoing impact. Vintage rock’n’roll sound that nods to Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
Like the soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t yet exist, Rod Melancon’s ‘Pinkville; whips up a world filled with shellshocked war veterans, gun-wielding rock & rollers, and other down-on-their-luck characters, mixing cinematic details and electric guitars into its own version of greasy, gothic Americana – Well, that’s what the PR blurb wanted us to believe and to be fair Gothic Americana is a new genre on me.
His songs are indeed dark and his voice which swings from a spoken-word to a croon to a rough-edged howl. It’s every bit as diverse as the material it delivers. ‘Pinkville’, is his fourth album. You’ve got something approaching psychedelic soul, Traditional Rolling Stones good-time rockers and tributes to the likes of Tom Petty, and if that’s not enough there is even time for a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ’57 Channels (And Nothin’ On)’.
‘Pinkville’ draws on personal memories from back home in Louisiana. It was there, that Melancon grew up. During these visits, he’d see this guy who is the central theme for the opening spoken words track that clearly left a mark on Melancon. then to follow it up with a dark bruising number that’s part Alice Cooper part voodoo swamp rocker is a real toe-tapper.
Melancon, uses Will Walden, as the album’s lead guitarist and co-producer. The son of Emmy-winning composer Snuffy Walden, In ‘Pinkville’ his tremolo guitar rustles up images of a platoon on patrol, while the Keith Richards-inspired playing of “Westgate” draws on his teenage memories of getting stoned and just being a teen. Its got a similar feel to a lot of the work of John Cougar where he draws on his memories for his subject and sways from Americana to rock and roll and its a really well-constructed song that you just want to nestle near the speaker and let the story wash over you. The solo is pretty cool on this one as well like he’s riding the volume and trying to soothe the savage feedback and to be fair he succeeds. ‘Corpus Christi Carwash’ tells the true story of Freddy Fender’s former gig at a car wash, is all 1950s pop ballad with a great traditional progression on the muted chords, while ‘Lord Knows’ gets a groove on like it was still the 1970s.
‘Heartbreakers’ celebrates the influence of Tom Petty — a songwriter who, like Melancon, who came from the South before moving to the city of Angels. He turns his own struggles into a roadhouse rocker with ‘Manic Depression’ a little understated when up against some of the other tracks on the record but all good albums have light and shade. Then to end the record Melancon turns it up during the loud, ‘Cobra’ whilst it’s not racing away more purposeful with the part sung part spoken lyrics again its got light and shade and a decent closing number on an altogether impressive album. A real melting pot of an album to be fair and one I found myself getting lost in and enjoying revisiting it time after time. If this is Gothic Americana then I’m on board and highly recommend it. Fill yer boots, my friends, ‘Pinkville’ was a very pleasant surprise.
Fans of The Boss and his band should pencil in the release of this movie. A new documentary about “The Big Man” Clarence Clemons of E Street Band fame features interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Nils Lofgren, Narada Michael Walden, and more.
From Virgil Films & Entertainment comes Clarence Clemons: Who Do I Think I Am? – an intimate portrait of one of the most famous saxophone players in the world. After a theatrical run in select cities in July, the film will be released on August 13th as a Blu-ray / DVD package (MVD Entertainment Group) as well as Digital HD (Virgil Films). A TV or SVOD release is planned for first quarter of 2020.
After Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s marathon “Rising Tour” came to an end in 2003, saxophonist Clarence Clemons felt like he needed a break. Though the world knew him as The Big Man and a lifetime member of the E Street Band, there was also a deeply spiritual side to Clemons. So he packed up his saxophone and journeyed to China, where he could be more or less a nameless traveler in a foreign land. Following him was director, friend and photographer Nick Mead, who documented Clarence’s transcendent awakening overseas. Once Clarence had returned to the States, Mead decided to keep the cameras rolling, which is when tragedy struck: while in Florida, Clarence suffered a stroke and passed away.
With the help of producer Joe Amodei, the film became more than just a document of Clarence’s spiritual journey – it became a biography for his life and a love letter and farewell from those that knew him best.
“It was an honor and a privilege to work with Nick Mead on this project. Clarence was a true Big Man! His spirituality rose to the top of every interview we conducted.” says producer Joe Amodei.
Featuring interviews with President Bill Clinton, Joe Walsh, Nils Lofgren, Jake Clemons, and former bandmates, friends, and close family members, Who Do I Think I Am? highlights Clarence’s life as musician and member of the E Street band while also presenting another side of the man not many knew when he was away from bright stage lights. It’s an intimate portrait of Clarence’s quest for enlightenment and meaning in what would sadly be the final years of his life.
The film was one of the spotlight premieres at the recent Asbury Park Music and Film Festival in April and will show in June at the NJ International Film Festival as well as the Woods Hole Film Festival in Cape Cod this summer.
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.
Columbia Records will release the ‘Springsteen On Broadway’ soundtrack album on 14th December, featuring the songs and stories from Tony Award winner Bruce Springsteen‘s historic 236-show run at Jujamcyn’s Walter Kerr Theatre. Consisting of the complete audio from the upcoming ‘Springsteen On Broadway’ Netflix release, the soundtrack album will be available on 4 LPs or 2 CDs as well as a digital download and on streaming services.
Listen to ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ from the ‘Springsteen On Broadway’ soundtrack album HERE
Based on his worldwide best-selling autobiography ‘Born to Run,’ ‘Springsteen on Broadway’ is a unique evening with Bruce, his guitar, a piano, and his very personal stories. On the ‘Springsteen On Broadway’ soundtrack album, each of these stories appears as its own track, labeled as an “introduction” to the song it precedes. The audio for ‘Springsteen on Broadway’ was mixed by the legendary Bob Clearmountain and mastered by the acclaimed Bob Ludwig.
‘Springsteen on Broadway’ began previews on 3rd October 2017 and the completely sold-out series of performances officially opened 12th October. The show was extended three times after its initial eight-week run, and will close on Broadway on 15th December. ‘Springsteen on Broadway’ will launch on Netflix globally on 16th December 8:01 AM GMT.
‘Springsteen on Broadway’ is available for pre-order
‘Springsteen on Broadway’ Track List:
Growin’ Up (introduction & song)
My Hometown (introduction & song)
My Father’s House (introduction & song)
The Wish (introduction & song)
Thunder Road (introduction & song)
The Promised Land (introduction & song)
Born In The U.S.A. (introduction & song)
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (introduction & song)
Tougher Than The Rest (introduction & song) with Patti Scialfa
Brilliant Disguise (introduction & song) with Patti Scialfa
Long Time Comin’ (introduction & song)
The Ghost Of Tom Joad (introduction & song)
The Rising (song)
Dancing In The Dark (introduction & song)
Land Of Hope And Dreams (song)
Born To Run (introduction & song)
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