As someone who has followed Def Leppard’s career for nigh on four decades, I’ve always kind of thought of Joe Elliott’s Down N Outz as something he did between tours just to keep himself busy. Formed as a celebration of the music Elliott grew up listening to, I’ve only casually listened to their previous two studio albums and live album simply because I’m at a loss regarding how you could ever better those old Mott songs?
The band’s new album ‘This Is How We Roll’ is an altogether different proposition for me though as it features just one cover (of the Tubes’ ‘White Punks On Dope’) and here we finally get to hear what the Down N Outz (also featuring The Quireboys’ Paul Guerin and Guy Griffin on guitar, Keith Weir on keyboards, with Vixen’s Share Ross on bass, and Wayward Sons’ Phil Martini on drums) actually sound like doing their own thang.
Opener ‘Another Man’s War’ actually takes me right back to the days when I first heard ‘Wasted’, it might only sound like Joe’s day job band in vocals alone but its got that same organic vibe that those early Leppard songs had in spades, and whilst this is probably the most Mott sounding track on ‘This Is How We Roll’ rest assured it is anything but a pastiche. Likewise, the album’s title track has an almost ‘High N Dry’ feel to it, and it is a pleasure to hear Elliott singing without multi-layered backing vocals. In fact, he’s probably never sounded more relaxed and in control of his voice.
The emotionally-charged piano-driven ‘Goodbye Mr. Jones’ is the type of tune guaranteed to give you goosebumps but for me, it is the much more subtle lyrical references during the jaunty pop of ‘Creatures’ that truly ticks all the boxes in the Bowie (yup that Mr. Jones) tribute department. This is easily my favourite track on ‘This Is How We Roll’ simply because it sounds like the band is having a wail of a time just doing what the hell they want to do.
With Elliott and Ronan McHugh behind the desk the production values on ‘This Is How We Roll’ are awesomely 70s-tastic – lush where they need to be, like on the almost Carpenters meets Cats In Space pomp of ‘Last Man Standing’ or truly bonkers like on the Beatles-y musical interludes of ‘Music Box’ and album closer ‘The Destruction Of Hideous Objects, Pt 3’.
‘Boys Don’t Cry’ meanwhile is a four to the floor rocker that puts me very much in mind of those ‘Hysteria’ era b sides where the band had the Lange production shackles loosened slightly and sounded like they were actually enjoying themselves. Look, I’m not being critical of that multi-platinum selling 80s version of Def Leppard it’s just that ‘This Is How We Roll’ took five years to record because of the respective members day job commitments – not because everything had to be multi tracked to the point of the song sounding almost secondary to the production. Just listen to the gospel tinged ‘Walking to Babylon’ or the dramatic ‘Let It Shine’ for examples of this in reverse, both are mid-tempo piano driven tunes that really do shine and could have very easily fitted into a Radio Caroline playlist back in the day.
The album’s only cover, ‘White Punks On Dope’ is also done very much in the Down N Outz style, and that in itself is what doing a cover should always be all about. Making it your own, so to speak.
I’ve had nothing but ‘This Is How We Roll’ on my stereo since it dropped a few days ago and my only slight criticism is that at twelve tracks in length (three of them being interludes and one a cover) I really could have done with hearing more of how the Down N Outz themselves really do roll. That’s because when these now not so young dudes and dudette get the bit firmly between their teeth on the eight original songs contained here it really is like the Golden Age of Rock N Roll all over again.
Ok, so the title is a lyric from a U2 song about October but thats the closest Dublins favourite son is gonna get to RPM singles club and to be fair he wouldn’t stand a chance with some of this months singles. from multi-platinum recording artists to some of our favourites paying homage to the gods of Metal none the less its another mixed bag of genres but the standard is the usual high bar we like to set. So without further waffle lets plug the jukebox in and do us all a favour…
Down N Outz – This Is How We Roll (UMC) An uptempo rock and rolla from Joe and the boys sees some neat riffola on the verses courtesy of The Quireboys’ Paul Guerin and Guy Griffin. The band are nicely rounded off by Keith Weir (keyboards), Share Ross (Bass, ex Vixen) and Phil Martini (drums, Wayward Sons) Its the first track taken from the album of the same title and it doesn’t really sound too similar to any of the associated bands and is more in tune with Elliott’s love of ’70s glam rock and Mott The Hoople which is never going to be a bad thing. Buy Here
The Drowns – Hold Fast (Pirates Press) Heres the technical piece – this 12“ one-sided record will leave just about any vinyl collector speechless. On first inspection, this may seem like it’s a picture disc, but it’s not! As the leaves in the wreath are actually transparent! This one-sided record is actually digitally printed on the non-groove side, with two separate passes through the machine, creating one very cool (and very limited!) brand new style of 12“ – pressed on real vinyl, sounding great, unlike actual picture discs.
The possibilities are endless for creating eye-catching and powerful releases using this new method of digitally printing on records… pairing this brand new format with a band garnering so much praise and generating so much excitement right now is the perfect fit; and best way to spread the word about both things, fast! Right, got that? Wow it looks cool I’m sure you’ll agree but its no good if its joust going to be a wall hanger but The Drowns Hold Fast is a fuckin’ blinding slice of uplifting punk rock. The video for Hold Fast is below so you can check it out for yourself bu t’Demons’ is gang vocals and air pumping fist raised anthems and if this is a sample of what’s to come then the album is going to be something special.
Prohibition Dead – ‘Let Me Live Or Die’ (Why A Bassist Production) Clearly influenced by Queens Of The Stone Age this French two-piece make enough noise for a whole traditional four-piece band – its catchy has a solid foundation and will appeal to a lot of Jack White fans as well as the more grungy types. Its the second track off their soon to be released EP set for November. Its a decent loud slice of Fuzzy alt-rock so if that’s yer bag and you are partial to some Black Keys and QOTSA then fill yer boots this will please ya. Buy ‘Let Me Live Or Die’ Here
The Hip Priests / Spaceforce – Split (Speedowax) With shit island heading for implosion and the last 45 round-up not having a Hip Priests single included I was beginning to give up hope and was thinking whats the chuffin point then this bad boy turns up. With the finest sleeve to date, it was down to the boyz makin all the noiz to offer up a reason for continuing and they not only give us one track but two and drag along Spaceforce with one for good measure. ‘My Damnation’ and ‘Play It Loud’ are not so much passable little ditties but the latter is a fuckin’ order Play it loud is like Iggy and Ron joining Biff and the boys and kicking out the jams. ‘Play It Loud’ In your neighborhood! too damn right. as for ‘My Damnation’ its total potty mouth and like a heavyweight boxer punching you on the sly right below the belt love the bridge BVs and the solo rips (of course it does). It never gets boring saying it but they simply have no peers in the 45s stakes and there isn’t anyone making records as consistently good as these reprobates.
As for Spaceforce it’s a thankless task really but they hammer away like Maiden when DiAnno was da man (and when they had something to say) on ‘Ignition’ and their take on the Venom classic ‘Black Metal’ has my respect, you gentlemen, are all Hellbound. Black metal and little green men? I fuckin love this shit? Stonker of a single and the artwork is pure fuckin genius. Single of the month and might well be single of the year! How’s that!
BATS – The Call Of Cthulhu (Self Release) With the forthcoming release of their third studio album ‘ALTER NATURE’, this is the first video off the record. A dark as fuck take to be fair noisy, yup we like noisy. Messed up – yup again we like messed up. Twisted, ok you get the picture. It’s their first piece of new music in seven years. I’m still trying to work it out = nutters’.
The Empty Page – ‘You’re Tame'(Punk Fox records) Cats! but wait before we get carried away with the fluffy creatures we do need to tell you this single is available digitally everywhere and also on limited edition splatter 7″ vinyl from Rough Trade and other select indie record stores. The band stated it was an unashamed slice of 90s alt rock in the vein of Veruca Salt or Hole and we say theres nothing to be ashamed of there guys it might indeed have that retro outsider feel to it and the video is rather Terry Christian The Word about it but thats cool. Don’t smother your wild side you Empty Pages just keep being you doing what you do and when it’s as good as this and the previous singles then we’ll keep listening and telling others to follow suit. Do it and aren’t they cuddly? and those cats! (*No musicians were harmed in the making of this video) it’ll be on limited splatter vinyl and have the previous single on the flip side. Cool as.
oso oso “Basking In The Glow” (Counter-Intuitive Records) About to embark on his first UK tour here’s our introduction to Oso Oso with a great piece of guitar pop – power pop if you like it’s catchy and full of that raw guitar-driven pop not a million miles from some of the stuff Butch Walker puts out hows that for a none too shabby name check? . Check it out via the medium of video and just in case you’re curious here are the tour dates for this week coming around England – Oct 16 MARGATE, Elsewhere, Oct 17 BRIGHTON, Green Door Store, Oct 18 MANCHESTER, Deaf Institute, Oct 19 LEEDS, The Key Club, Oct 20 GLASGOW, The Hug & Pint, Oct 22 BIRMINGHAM, Sunflower Lounge, Oct 23 NOTTINGHAM, The Bodega,
Oct 24 LONDON, Boston Music Room, and Oct 25 BRISTOL, Louisiana All tickets are on sale now HERE
Mono In Stereo – ‘Different Kind Of Man’ (Rum Bar Records) Taken from their second album ‘Can’t Stop The Bleeding’ this uplifting honest slice of Heartland rock n roll with attitude it’s infectious like a bit of Springsteen if he recorded after a night on the dark fruits and a fistfight. Great rock n roll is always a good place to be and these cats nail it.
45 Rally – Tweets For My Sweet (Rum Bar Records) Tank tops and ties. Ok, its a first but we’re a broad church. 45 Rally are swinging their pants for sure it’s like some hip house party house band from the swinging ’60s with authentic tambourine backbeat sloppy backing vocals and awesome keyboards. ‘Bigly’ is up first and don’t take too long settling down or you’ll miss it. Like the Fuzztones chirpy brother theres nothing dark here it’s bubblegum garage done very well indeed and all the song titles come from Trump tweets! could have covered an album full from that bulb but an EP will do for starters Garage Rock from Switzerland who’d have thought it?
The Urban Voodoo Machine – Johnny Foreigner (Gypsy Hotel Records) Taken from the compilation album, ‘The Urban Voodoo Machine’s Friends And Family Album Vol 1’ it’s the band’s riposte to the xenophobia and rise in the UK of all things English nationalism and a rise by right-wing extremists that’s indeed been stinking up the place since Brexshit. We love ya Paul-Ronney Angel and of course you can stay, our home is your home, we don’t own this shit island. The Urban Voodoo Machine are as magnificent as ever with their sleazy booze-soaked bop n stroll and yet another must-have track gets added to their repertoire. Facebook
Dirty Sound Magnet – Skull Drawing Rose (Hummus Records) Swiss Psychedelic Rockers Dirty Sound Magnet the latest single from the Album due this week ‘Transgenic’ it isn’t even the longest single we’ve ever had on the 45rpm round-up that title goes to those pesky Hip Priests but this is the first psychedelic progressive Hard Rock song we’ve had entered our charts. Go fill yer boots ya pixie loving flute wielding prog rats.
The Crookeds – Sucker For Pain (Golden Robot Records) Some classic rock leanings add yet more textures to this month’s 45 RPM round up. Australian rockers The Crookeds bring their riff laden rock to the club where they mix up some alt rock with a more classic rock sound. With loud guitars and a Buckley esk soaring vocal. check it out rockers!
Lazybones – Trash Talk (Say Something Records) Inspired by the likes of Black Sabbath, Sex Pistols and Chas & Dave, using a fuzzy bass guitar, an amplified organ and drums, Lazybones create a trashy, unapologetic, to-the-point British sound. and ‘Trash Talk’ is a loud and unapologetic romp. All the way to the chorus its a bumpy ride but when you get there it’s like screaming on top of a mountain like PJ Harvey riding a rocket. You can stream this along with other Lazybones songs on Spotify the band head out around the UK later this month and early next to bosh gig goers over the head with their fuzzed up alt pop – check em out. Here – WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram
A Bunch OF Jerks – Dirt Nap (Rum Bar Records) The first track off their second album has the neat lead single ‘Dirt Nap’ – A snotty spikey slice of Garage punk. Where the gang vocals are young, loud and snotty and they mix up some B52s with a raw punk rock old school. It’s in yer face and will follow you around all night as you find your self shouting “Dirt Nap” at random intervals. This Boston awesome foursome come armed with a full-length (ooh er Mrs.) album where ‘Dirt Nap’ is lifted from and if this is anything to go by we’ll be all over some more of that. Check it out ya punks! Besides they had a song called ’70s Euro Minge’ for fuck’s sake what’s not to like. They obviously have all the right credentials Facebook
The Good The Bad And The Zugly – Staying With the Trouble ( Fysisk Format) What nice guys GBZ are. Offering to hold ones hand whilst we navigate these troubled times. Always great to hear what these loons are up to and they’ve not made a bad record yet. With this being the first peek at what’s to come on the new album ‘Algorithm & Blues’ it sounds a little restrained if I’m honest (in a good way obviously) Its anthemic and will make for a wonderful experience live I’m sure of that. Norway is delivering some fantastic bands and music at the minute and These bad boys are at the top of the pile now get your ears around this and pre-order the album because they’re touring early next year. I’m staying with the trouble and they can hold my hand any day. Facebook
Territories – Quit This City/Defender (Pirates Press Records) Wow, what a stunner this is to wrap up this singles Club. Hailing from Calgary and following on from their debut long-player last summer these two songs just blew me away. Its heartfelt chest-beating punk rock these longtime friends have been cutting their teeth for quite a while around Western Canada and since that debut album they’ve been building up a head of steam to this point and from the quiet intro of electric guitar and voice we then break out and deliver a stunning rousing single in ‘Quit This City’.
As the band gear up for their first jaunt to play Rock The Boat this will more than confirm their qualities and worthy place for being on that ship and kicking ass. I hope it won’t be a case of man overboard as the audience won’t be able to stay still when this erupts. The B side might be more solid paced with its thumping, driving bass line its so good I couldn’t resist digging into the bands back catalogue. Exciting times ahead. Go check em out and tell em RPM sent ya! Facebook
Down ‘n’ Outz, the project headed up by Def Leppard frontman and 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Joe Elliott, are set to release their third studio album in late 2019.
The band, completed by The Quireboys’ Paul Guerin (Guitar), Guy Griffin (Guitar) and Keith Weir (keyboards), plus Share Ross (Bass, Vixen) and Phil Martini (drums, Wayward Sons), take a different approach on “This Is How We Roll” to the previous album. The album only features one cover version (The Tubes “White Punks On Dope) – alongside eleven original Joe Elliott penned tracks.
Guitarist Guy Griffin says, “(“This Is How We Roll”) is absolutely fantastic, probably one of the best records I’ve worked on. It doesn’t sound like Leppard or the first two Down n Outz records. It’s kind of all the stuff Joe grew up with, a lot of piano type stuff, a bit Elton John, one track a bit 10cc, a couple of good rockers… a real mix of stuff. Joe’s voice sounds amazing and it’s great fun to do.”
Joe Elliott says,“Boy, has this has been a long time coming?! Recorded in infrequent bursts of activity over a 5-year period whenever our respective motherships allowed, I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved with this album. I’m blessed to have worked with such a superb bunch of musicians on this collection of songs. To a man, and woman (!), they completely got my vision of what I wanted us to convey on this record & as usual, working with a world-class producer/engineer in Ronan McHugh has guaranteed the sound of the record to be top-notch! I couldn’t be more proud.”
Along with the announcement of the new studio album, Down ‘n’ Outz also release the rock out of title track and lead single “This Is How We Roll”, available to listen to: Here
From breathless opener “Another Man’s War” to the lush “Last Man Standing”, to the epic six-minute “Let It Shine”, this is an album that draws on all the influences that have shaped both Joe Elliott and the previous Down ‘n’ Outz albums to create a stunning collection of original songs. “This Is How We Roll” was produced by Joe Elliott with co-production by Ronan McHugh. The album was recorded at Joe Elliott’s own studio Joe’s Garage.
“This Is How We Roll” will be released on via UMC on 11th October 2019. The album will be available on CD, LP, digitally and also on limited edition 12” Picture Disc LP.
“This Is How We Roll” is now available to pre-order: Here
The Down ‘n’ Outz project was born in 2009 when Mott The Hoople reformed and asked a long-time friend and fan Joe Elliott to get involved. Joe formed the Down ‘n’ Outz with Paul, Guy, Keith, and Phil. Together they looked to bring songs by Mott The Hoople and spin-off projects of Mott, Ian Hunter and British Lions to a wider audience.
In 2009 Down ‘n’ Outz supported Mott The Hoople at one of the band’s five Hammersmith Apollo shows. The fan interest eventually led to the band looking to put together an album and. 2011 saw the release of the critically acclaimed debut My Re-Generationthrough Mailboat Records (Joe Perry, Walter Becker, Chris Isaak, Jeff Bridges). My Re-Generation included the singles “England Rocks” and “Overnight Angels,” that reached No 4 and No 1 respectively on the US Media Base Rock chart -keeping Eric Clapton’s new single off the top of the chart for 2 weeks. The band then released a live DVD taken from those initial shows called “Live at Hammersmith Apollo.” A second studio album The Further Adventures of…was released in 2014 and featured the single “Rock and Roll Queen”. New bassist Share Ross (Vixen) debuted on 2017’s live album and DVD “The Further Live Adventures Of…”
A stunning live act – having toured with the likes of Paul Rogers across the UK (Including The Royal Albert Hall) and festival performances including High Voltage and Planet Rockstock, Down ‘n’ Outz are planning live dates to support “This Is How We Roll”.
“This Is How We Roll” track-listing is as follows
CD
Another Man’s War
This Is How We Roll
Goodnight Mr. Jones
Creatures
Last Man Standing
Music Box
Boys Don’t Cry
Walking to Babylon
Let It Shine
Music Box Reprise/Griff’s Lament
White Punks on Dope
The Destruction of Hideous Objects Part 3
LP / Picture Disc
Side One
Another Man’s War
This Is How We Roll
Goodnight Mr. Jones
Creatures
Last Man Standing
Side Two
Music Box
Boys Don’t Cry
Walking to Babylon
Let It Shine
Music Box Reprise/Griff’s Lament*
White Punks on Dope
The Destruction of Hideous Objects Part 3
As someone who has followed Def Leppard’s career for nigh on four decades, I’ve always kind of thought of Joe Elliott’s Down N Outz as something he did between tours just to keep himself busy. Formed as a celebration of the music Elliott grew up listening to, I’ve only casually listened to their previous two studio albums and live album simply because I’m at a loss regarding how you could ever better those old Mott songs?
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