Diamond Dogs & Spedding Chris: Macon Georgia Giants (Wild Kingdom)

Diamond Dogs & Spedding Chris: Macon Georgia Giants (Wild Kingdom)

Well, did anyone really see this collaboration coming in 2025? Sweden’s finest boogie-woogie merchants Diamond Dogs joining forces with legendary 70’s producer/session player Chris Spedding (‘Motorbikin’ anyone?) to record a homage to the king of rock n’ roll Little Richard. With the album ‘Slap Bang Blue Rendezvous’ in 2022 and ‘About The Hardest Nut To Crack’ the following year, Sulo and the boys have certainly been keeping busy at this point in their career. I think after 30 years in the business and 13 studio albums down the road, they have earned the right to take it easy and record a tribute to one of their greatest influences.

Recorded live to tape, one hour per track is how Diamond Dogs roll, like the cool cats did back in the day, and it works in their favour. From the off the band have a live energy and a swagger only a true seasoned live band can command. Add to that the guitar talents of Chris Spedding, and we have a really cool match of flavours adding their take on Little Richard’s musical legacy.

These primal bursts of rock n’ roll damnation are perfectly delivered through the Diamond Dogs cannon. Top players, killer vocals and modern production breathe new life into some well-known, and some not so well-known timeless classics. Opener ‘King Of Rock n’ Roll’ is cocksure and full of bravado. Sulo’s raspy tones are on point, aided and abetted by The Duke Of Honk, Spedding on guitar, a cool boogie-woogie bass line and matching song dynamics. Close your eyes and you can just imagine the boys jamming it away in Dog Pound Studios.

The likes of ‘Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey’ and ‘Great Gosh Almighty’ go a long way to remind the listener where the roots of good time rock n’ roll lie, and just how pivotal in the history of music Little Richard truly was. Songs such as ‘Dew Drop Inn’ and ‘True Fine Mama’ lend themselves well to the Diamond Dogs brand of rhythm & blues, but the standouts for me are the killer ‘Poor Dog’, with its great dynamics and build to the chorus here. Also, the low-slung rock n’ roll of closer ‘Bama Lama Bama Loo’ certainly hits the spot.

It’s a good time to be a Diamond Dogs fan. Not only have a bunch of their albums been given the reissue treatment in recent years courtesy of Wild Kingdom (including Sulo’s first solo record) on glorious coloured vinyl, but they continue to write, record and be a touring band.

‘Macon Georgia Giants’ is not only a fitting tribute to the legend that is Little Richard, but it showcases a killer band playing songs they love, pretty much live in the studio. And the thing is, to me this album just sounds like the Diamond Dogs playing Diamond Dogs songs, and if you weren’t aware of the fact they were all Little Richard songs before spinning it, you wouldn’t know any different. And that says a lot for the writing talents of this band for me.

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Author: Ben Hughes

The Vibrators – ‘Mars Casino’ (Cleopatra Records)

The Vibrators – ‘Mars Casino’ (Cleopatra Records)

In an increasingly odd year, this should come as no surprise, but I was still taken aback. After the pleasant shock of The Damned announcing dates by the original line up, I am now listening to the new album by the original line up of The Vibrators. There are those who will say “never look back”, and, usually, that’s sound advice. But, ably assisted by Chris Spedding, the band have produced a great album.

 

I admit that I haven’t followed their progress since Knox originally left, and gave them his blessing to continue. I have no feelings either way, and was a fan of his albums as Fallen Angels as much as anything. So, I’m not approaching this as a purist. But, his voice has certainly been missed.

 

The title track could indeed sit nicely on a Fallen Angels LP, with the familiar drawl in place over three chords and what I assume is Spedding’s lead work, which would compliment that of ex-Angel Andy McCoy. Like a six-string version of Suicide. ‘Jesus Stole My Little Dog’, apparently. Lyrically weird, but it works, another up tempo number.

 

‘Garbage Can’ is a close cousin of ‘Amphetamine Blue’, then lead vocals change on ‘Turn The Pages’. The countrified riff could be Neil Young, not a bad thing at all. John Ellis wrote ‘Big Black Sea’, which is in a similar vein. He also wrote ‘Platinum Dress’, with some nice slide work, and ‘Passing Of Days’ which is more brooding, in the style of ‘Working Class Hero’.

 

Good songs, but for me it’s Knox’s voice that holds it together as a band. Whether on the heady four chords of ‘Woman 3.2’ or the tender ‘Love Me Forever’, it sounds like The Vibrators. Even the cow bell on ‘Follow Your Destiny’ works. ‘Made In Heaven’ is slushy but lovely, with a great solo.

 

‘Paper Tiger’ and the riffmungous ‘This Is The Way’ are a fine way to bring it to an end. Who’d have thought it? Now, once this pandemic nonsense is under control, will they spoil us with some gigs?

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Author: Martin Chamarette

Sulo – Nightshift /Beautiful Outsiders (Cargo Records)

Sulo – Nightshift /Beautiful Outsiders (Cargo Records)

Considering his epic catalogue of releases I don’t think I can recall sulo ever making a “Bad” record luckily this very ambitious release can also be added to the ever impressive list.  Diamond Dogs, The Crunch or Solo he has his distinct vocal and can easily flip-flop between styles sure they’re all Rock and Roll but this is a far gentler side of his work.  Especially the ‘Nightshift’ side as it might suggest. Piano acoustic guitars duets its fairly standard arrangments for sure but the quality of the songs shines through. ‘Time To Alight’ is a wonderful and simple piano and guitar song with sparse backing vocals. I think its fair to say that if Sulo wanted to create a soundtrack to the dead of night then he has achieved that with some to spare. It’s gentle and soft in places and its personified in the albums title track with some beautiful piano rolls that sort of put a full stop on proceedings.

Sulo has always had great musicians working with him to compliment his writing and this is no exception.  I love the swirling organ that stabs through the bleakness like on ‘I Swear To God I Don’t Believe’ I love the grandness of the backing vocals.   Considering this collection has twenty seven songs it ebbs and flows wonderfully I know it won’t please everyone but if you want the guys gentler balladeering side then it’s here and if you want the Rock and Roll that’s present too the only thing missing is the punkier side but that’s why he does the Crunch I guess.   Sure I think its fair to say you will be drawn to one CD over the other be it the darker melancholy side or the more uptempo and light side, me I’m somewhere in between as I think the best songs are on ‘Nightshift’ I do love it when he delves into that whole Faces groove but here its not quite that simple as ‘Brilliant Outsiders’ has got its country honk going on.  If you ever liked someone like Chuck Prophet then you need to check this out – lap steel, duets, country honk Sulo has arranged for a whole record of players to duet with him from Stockholm to Florida and Nashville to London and everywhere between have lent a helping hand. He’s even managed to rope in the UK finest Country Band Los Pacaminos to back him up.  So it would seem you can also add this style to his ever-bulging portfolio.  It’s not quite the stretch you might think but the songs are authentic and sound like they’ve been brought from a good place and a happiness and Joie de vivre captured within.

‘Bring Down The Angels’ is fantastic and the band lives it up on ‘God Damned Jesus’ did somebody mention Mellencamp meets Waits meets Waylon?  Oh, it was me.  Well, that’s the ballpark we’re playing in here.  I think its no good thinking you’re going to hear the Diamond Dogs or Crunch because that’s not going to happen you have to keep an open mind and just let the music flow.  whilst it might have been an experiment too far for a lot of people for many others I’m sure an appreciation for the guy’s songwriting talent will win them over.  Me – I’m happy to hear whatever Sulo throws my way I think he’s a talent we should champion no matter what style he delivers next.  If you don’t raise a smile by the end of ‘A Song For Every Train’ then I feel sorry for you.

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Author : Dom Daley