It may well be 13 years since Flyscreen last played Newport (rock city) but it’s got to be nearly three decades since I last saw the band live, and back then, not only was I sharing a transit van with the boys in the band playing shows up and down the UK, but their line up also featured one Fraser Munro. Yup that’s the same chap you probably now know best (well if you’re reading this anyway) for co/fronting and playing bass in maximum velocity garage punk rockers Deathtraps.

Although tonight he’s no longer doing that.

No, he’s not left the band, it just that Veej, Matty and Fraser have gone and acquired themselves a bass player – step forward Namaan. Which means that Munro has gained two strings and is now co/fronting and playing guitar, with the resulting racket they now create sounding like it could level not just tall buildings. but whole cities, Newport being the first…. of many, I hope.

So, for the second time in a week I’m witnessing the Le Pub sound system dealing out some critical noise levels, with the needles well and truly in the err… red for ‘Red Eyes & Black Kisses’ and to some here tonight, perhaps witnessing the band for the first time, this must have come as something of a sonic shock to the system, as it was for those of us who have seen them many times, with the early inclusion of ‘Hell Of A Girl’ from Matty and Veej’s old band The Sick Livers. I thought this tune might have been just a one-off set list inclusion for their recent blast at Slugfest (where they were still a trio and also played a rollicking cover of Judas Priest’s ‘Breaking The Law’), but no, here it is loud and proud, for a whole new generation of gig goers to lose their shit to. Tidy darts!

Elsewhere the band’s sub thirty-minute aural rip ride flew by in the blink of an eye with the likes of ‘She Said’ and ‘Rip Em Off’, from their exceptional last record ‘Appetite For Prescription’, giving us all bloody noses, whilst the ever present oldie ‘Fuck The Cool Kids’ once again helped shatter the venue’s swear jar in just under three minutes flat.

It’s fast, its furious and its totally fucked-up rock ‘n’ roll, what more could you want on a Saturday night?

I always find it kind of irritating when a venue suddenly fills up for a headliner, but then Flyscreen are a what you might call a “more commercial” sounding musical proposition than the band that has just blown the bloody doors off Le Pub’s live room. It’s most probably why they were snapped up by MCA during the mid ‘90s and why they still have enough of a diehard following in da Port to sell out tonight’s gig, well in advance of showtime. It also doesn’t hurt their popularity one bit that their song ‘Carl Zeiss Jena’ (which was also a top three hit in Germany pop pickers) is also an anthem dedicated to this very city’s football team, and when it’s played here tonight mid-set you can almost taste the passion in the room. But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself here, because there’s much more to Flyscreen than just that one song, as opener ‘You Sons Of Bitches Shut-up’ quickly proves. Taken from the band’s 2005 album, ‘Only Dirty People Wash’, an album of ten songs I’d somehow totally missed at the time of release, this tune just like ‘Popsong Singalong’ the minor hit single from the album, which also (ouch!!!) pops up mid-set, are both post-New Seattle beauties of the highest order.

There’s of course always going to be the slightest whiff of nineties nostalgia in the air when most of your back catalogue was written in that decade, but when you have songs as strong as ‘Chopperquad’, ‘Ugly Freak Of Nature’ (not the version where singer/bassist Paul suddenly sang the words to ‘Homo’ over it), the always amazing ‘Biffbamaboomalamababe’ and ‘Snowbunny’ in your set list…who cares? That’s because, even whilst Tony, the band’s powerhouse drummer, is normally residing in San Francisco these days, the quartet (completed by guitarists Dave and Marc) have somehow managed to shoehorn recording an all-new record, into the time he’s briefly been back in the UK for tonight’s gig, and after hearing the first fruits of this session ‘I Love Everybody’ tonight, it sounds like it’s going to be an absolute banger.

Flyscreen’s forty odd minute set here tonight once again illustrated to everyone present just why they really should have been up there with the likes of Manic Street Preachers and Feeder in the popularity stakes. But that’s the UK music industry for you eh folks. It’s a shit business…

Author: Johnny Hayward

The release of The Alarm’s brand new album FORWARDS is announced for June 2nd 2023 and is available to pre-order / pre-save now. (Click here to pre-order / pre-save Forwards now!).

The Alarm [Acoustic] UK Tour dates as follows:

May 24th LIVERPOOL Epstein TheatreTICKETS HERE
May 25th BRISTOL St. Georges TICKETS HERE
May 30th NEWCASTLE The Cluny TheatreTICKETS HERE
May 31st TRING Court Theatre TICKETS HERE
June 3rd SALE Waterside Arts CentreTICKETS HERE
June 4th STROUD Subscription Rooms TICKETS HERE
June 6th LONDON Union Chapel, Islington TICKETS HERE
June 7th PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms TICKETS HERE
June 8th YORK The Crescent TICKETS HERE
June 9th HULL The Welly TICKETS HERE

Seconds out round two Trampolene. With anew album coming out this month hit up the linktree and get on it as they release their brand new studio album the same day they release a limited edition hand stamped live album recorded on the opening night of the Swansea Arena Here

Bringing up the rear are South Wales reprobates Deathtraps with their brand new video for ‘Imitator’ lifted from their excellent album ‘Appetite For Prescription’ which you can purchase Here along with their other albums and some excellent limited edition shirts.

South Wales punk n Roll darlings Deathtraps are back with their new record. Pre-orders are upon us and this new video is here for your viewing and listening pleasure. ‘Red Eyes Black Kisses’ is the first video off the album and we want to share it with you. The album ‘Appetite For Prescription’ is available Here You can catch the band playing with Crazyhead in Le Pub Newport this coming Friday with a very limited number of tickets still available Here

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oh, what a night. This one had been on the to-do list for quite some time some months. Fingers and toes were crossed that this would actually happen as the country opened up.

Tonight Le Pub was bouncing with anticipation for what was promising to be an explosion of energy and rock and roll that had been pent up for oh so long. Deathtraps are south Wales finest exponents of noisy Rock and fucking Roll, Nottinghams finest The Motherfucking Hip Priests and Supersuckers the self professed Greatest Rock and Roll band in the world. This motherfucker is trippin’ on what’s to come.

Deathtraps were first up and we saw Fraser sporting a rather fetching piece of headgear to rival Eddie’s cowboy hat and the band was on a mission to cram in as much music as possible in their tight thirty-minute set. The band went for it from the off delivering a thuggish set with some new tunes that showed they weren’t sitting idle during the past few years’ hibernation and got to write some more decent songs. ‘She Said’ was particularly striking and the set was wound up with a tribute to the departed Hank Von Hell with a frantic cover of ‘Denim Demon’ which went down very well to finish off a most pleasing set.

The Hip Priests have been on the whole tour around plague island with Supersuckers and hit that sweet spot where everything sounded tight and they were in their groove right from the off. Opening with ‘Black Denim Blitz’ ‘Survival OF The Shittest’ a fitting tune that signaled the avalanche of venom from the twin guitar attack of Austin and Ben as they bookend the sonic explosions that is Von Cruz, a man who can’t stand still for a split second whilst Brother Lee Love holds the bottom end that holds these tunes together along with Des the rhythmic pair sound like a carpet bombing of hard rockin punk attitude.

Supporting in a venue they often headline at saw the slimmed-down set bolstered with the sound of no less than four new songs that sounded exciting and if they’re anything to go by the new album is gonna burn. They’re about to finish off what will be a career-high and see this ten-legged groove machine burn a path to glory. By the time they hit ‘Zero Fucks Given’ they were on fire and exploding a stick of dynamite that Eddie and the boys have to try and follow.

Taking the Newport stage to the strains of EVH mr spaghetti is Looking well in his trademark cowboy hat and shades. Eddie Spaghetti was about to get down to business and shake the shit out of one of the best music venues around and show the good people present that Rock and fucking Roll was alive and kicking and in rude health. Taking in songs from all quarters of the band’s catalogue and shaking up the set from previous nights and therefore keeping it fresh my only complaint to the management would be this, With so many great songs of their own why three covers in a tight – compact set? Sure I love me some Michael Monroe and Thin Lizzys ‘Cowboy Song’ is a banger as is their tribute to ZZ Top but I think I’d have loved to hear a bunch of other classic Supersuckers tunes, just saying.

Whinge aside tonight the band was loud and proud and didn’t substitute any subtleties from the melodies with volume and Eddie was in great spirits with his banter. The Supersuckers love a cliche and why not? Rock and Roll is a celebration and not something everyone can do and do this well. They have songs with Rock and Roll in the title (and more besides) they love to let people know they are in the company of the Best band in the world and Metal Marty Chandler has the tone ringing through his les paul that would surely meet the approval of Jonesy whilst Christopher Von Streicher holds a tight ship in the engine room making it sound so effortless sure does make for a great band who sounded in fine form road worn and battle-ready. Tonight the Supersuckers have the Evil Powers of Rock and Roll well and truly harnessed and delivered the good.

It has been probably ten years since the last time I saw them live bar Eddie acoustic and whilst I regret not seeing the Evil Powers album in the full set this was a pretty damn perfect cross-section. Whilst there can and will be debating what is the perfect set there can be no debatin that when Supersuckers are on it they burn a hellbound trail and I’m always on board with that. Until next time hombres it was indeed a pleasure and not a second of a chore – three bands for less than £20 is an absolute bargain especially when they’ve been this damn good.

Author: Dom Daley

Holy shit! It’s been way too long since I stood in a room with these reprobates knocking out loud filthy anthems for the more discernable music lovers amongst us. But Saturday the 3rd of October with enough people doing the right thing this event was going to happen and boy did it.

Bournemouth’s The Electric Shakes opened proceedings with a most enjoyable set of rapid bad boy boogie and tinged with enough Garage rock n Roll to shake off any long overdue cobwebs it was a pleasure to hear a trio knock out tight tunes with songs like the excellent ‘Hound Dog’ riff-a-rama grinding away at your eardrum these gentlemen are well worth checking out and are a fantastic opener on tonight’s triple bill.

 

Next up were the local boy’s Deathtraps who had a whole bunch of new tunes to air from their Argos book of tunage. To be fair the new ones were instant toe-tappers and slotted in very nicely alongside the more well-worn numbers from their previous recordings and on the strength of tonight’s performance, I think fans old and new will be in for a treat when the new record gets released. The band sounds tight and the dual vocal attack works really well to add texture to their sound.

 

 

All you can ask for is that your favourite bands make every album better than the previous one before they inevitably break up or come to a messy end. Deathtraps have tunes kids and are carving out a style of their own by fusing the best parts of the ones that influence who and what they are. Rumours of an encore of ‘Tears Are Falling’ Newport style were sadly unfounded but they did leave the stage to beaming smiles and very warm applause from the discernable audience.  they did kick off proceedings with an excellent new song ‘Red Eye’ and peppered their set with new songs ‘Rip Em Off’ and the set closer ending on a real high ‘Never Had It So Good’ and to be fair it summed up the moment as lockdowns (fingers crossed are a thing of the past) and people get more comfortable with getting out and about with friends and fellow gig goers and its a pleasure seeing beaming smiles all over the venue as the bands entertain and blow off any cobwebs that might have gathered.  Deathtraps left us wanting more – great set (and more of that cowbell, please).

Onto the main course and Nottinghams finest The Hip Priests who have managed to not lose anyone through lockdowns and had enough pent up aggression to fuel five bands let alone one.  Never mind fuel crisis either because they could have got across country on the fumes of hatred for where we currently sit with Brexit and a continuation of tory lies and bullshit being the catalyst for some of the bands best most recent songs.

 

As always von Cruz was moving between guitar swings like he’s some fluid airbender punching and kicking his way through some classic Priests songs that seemed to get louder and louder as the set developed and the bookend duel guitar maestros of Ben and Austin compressed the energy and absolutely slaughtered Le Pub.  There were no signs of rust or the fact they’d not been doing this for so long it was as if they’ve been energised by the layoff and kicked the living shit out of the set as Priests classics from opening with the appropriate ‘Survival Of The Shittest’ then ripping headfirst into the latest albums title track ‘Stand For Nothing’ it was obvious the kings of Garage punk were on fire.

 

New track ‘Tiger In My Tank’ sounded fantastic and wedged between the epic ‘Zero Fucks Given’ and their thirtieth single ‘No Stranger To Failure’ was simply sublime and the band were hitting the groove lots of us know they’re capable of.  At times it seems effortless but the evening was moving through the gears and tonight the Hip Priests were simple on fire.   There were a few classic Priests track omitted from the set and an excellent flow to proceedings, sure ‘Jesus Died’ was played as was ‘Mother Fucker Superior’ and ending the evening with a sonic flying kick to the temple with ‘Juiced Up’ was nice.  

 

Still the champions of shit Island and still the best noisiest band in the underground, I know it, they know it and you know it but how long can they be our secret.  Post pandemic wish list is for these bastards to break out and show everyone how it’s done.  Fast, Loud, filthy and most definitely rocking. Nobody does it quite like the Hip Priests – Maybe not so young but definitely loud and always snotty! I fuckin’ love the Hip Priests and it’s great to be back! Newport as always delivered, see you next time.

 

Author: Dom Daley (spasm Gang member #3)

 

15 years of misanthropy, noise, confusion, hate, and contempt. Join the celebrations/commiserations on Saturday 4th December at Fiddler’s Elbow – Camden with FLASH HOUSE, Seven Days and Doesn’t Die and Continental Lovers.

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Saturday, December 11th and you’re all invited (obvs) Bring the Xmas cheers and Liquid Light Brew Co Tap Room will bring the beers.

The Deathtraps are putting out a couple of tunes next Friday too. They’re two of the tunes that were given away with pre-orders of the last record but they’re sitting there doing nothing so we thought we’d sling them out for anybody who’s picked up on the band since that album came out pre-pandemic. There’ll be a video too but that’ll come soon enough.
Be naughty or nice maybe Santa will drop it pre-Christmas.  Hit em up on Bandcamp and buy your family some gifts from the Rock and Roll Gods this Christmas – Here
If that’s not enough how about this bad boy? Aldora Britain Records have put together a compilation on Bandcamp for the princely sum of £1.80 but don’t be fooled there are some great bands and songs on offer Deathtraps being one who offers up their homage to Joan Jett.
AB Records is an e-zine and record label that promotes the music and work of authentic independent or underground artists from all around the world. Originally established in 2013, they revamped themselves in 2018 with a brand new approach. Their first weekly compilation, aptly titled ‘The Second Coming’, was released in late 2019. They now also release original singles, EPs, and charity projects. ‘Night Shadows’ offers twenty-two tracks from a whole variety of underground bands.  Get it Here

To emphasise further the banality of the current lockdown we’re resurfacing from here in England, it only feels like 10 days or so since I did my November list for Bandcamp Friday. Either way here we are yet again with new music from artists and money potentially burning holes in pockets.

Swan Wash – The Upstairs Museum
 
The latest EP from Indiana’s Swan Wash. A classic Post Punk affair, stark in sound and lyrics with a Goth/Deathrock aura. The tracks hover
somewhere between original Christian Death and the reserved punk approach of Wire.
The Glycereens – Neon City Lights
 
The Brisbane quartet offer up this slab of meat and potatoes Glam Punk. They certainly aren’t reinventing the wheel with this new single but it’s catchy all the same, with a new album set to be dropped early next year hopefully it’s as strong as the previous.
The Paranoyds – Pet Cemetery/Hotel Celebrity
As the titles on the release may suggest, the sounds on the tracks are night and day from each other. The A-side being very organ heavy, gloomy in atmosphere with vocals being equidistant from Kim Gordon and Siouxie Sioux. The B in contrast is a Lo-Fi Pop gem. Think if you can of a ‘valley girl’ Pavement.
Bipolar – Bipolar EP
 
The debut self titled EP from Brooklyn’s Bipolar, a beautifully shambolic mess of heavy guitars and subtle synths sounding not a million miles from exit_international or in the slightly less intense bits, Slaves.
Ohmns – Nightmare Trail
 
Here we have doomy Liverpool noise merchants Ohmns with a stunning offering of blaring proto punk goodness. The track was originally a part of a limited edition cassette release earlier this year which has since sold out but the lads have kindly resurrected the track for you all to download at the generous cost of ‘name your price’.. fill yer boots.
Author: Dan Kasm
We’ve also got plenty more recommendations for you starting with Ben who suggests you good people check out Dangereens. The band hail from Montreal in Canada and they play Rock and Roll.  Their album slipped under our radar earlier this year entitled ‘Tough Luck’ and Bens right on the money and this is a band you should check out if Hanoi Rocks meets some good time Faces style boogie woogie is your thing then you need to hear these.
If that didn’t float your boat how about some sleazy low down dirty punk rock and roll courtesy of Jonas Hillbom & The Wildbeards from Stockholm, Sweden.  With some singles on offer, these rockers kick out the jams and were brought to our attention by the finely tunes ears of Fraser.
How about some Italian garage rock and roll? The strangely named Pre-Cog In The bunker has a sleazy slice of Garage available for all you purists.  It’s straight out of the one-take Cramps school of Rock and Roll.  They have this rather nice 7″ available on Bandcamp for you to take advantage of.  And you get a couple of bonus cuts that are digital-only thrown in for good measure. ‘On The Run’ is straight out of the VU pocket and a rather splendid track to be fair. Hit em up here

Whilst it’s Bandcamp Friday it would be downright wrong of us not to push on you good people some Deathtraps  Lets fall out of love with the world as the clusterfuck that is 2020 can be made a lot smoother with some dirty grubby action rock and roll.  They don’t really want to kill the cool kids (at least we don’t think they do) and they have album number four to finance so chuck em a sheckle or two it’ll be worth it because they’re bloody good and you’ll get some quality choons in return.

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

Rain rain go away come back another day.  Shit island has had enough wet stuff falling from the sky but whilst we wait for Spring how about the brand new video from The Hangmen.  Yup that’s right LA delivers from time to time and this is exceptional stuff from Smalls and the rest of the band.

 

How about a brand new video from Rich Ragany & The Digressions. The title track from the debut album gets the video treatment as the band announced as support on the Status Quo winter tour 2020.

With a brand new album hitting the streets this month what else can we do than play the brand new lead track from ‘Deathtraps ‘Stole Your Rock and Roll’.  Ladies and germs I give you ‘Let’s Fall Out Of Love’