The Carvels NYC – ‘Live at the Cutting Room’ (Die Laughing Records!)

The Carvels NYC – ‘Live at the Cutting Room’ (Die Laughing Records!)

How about starting your album sounding like Alison Gordys Blonde & Blue jamming the Ramones oh hang on that’s exactly what this sounds like from the wailing saxophone to the Thunders lite sloppy guitar playing to the 50s /60s girl group vocals.  Unashamed and fabulous.  What’s not to like?  It’s down n dirty Garageland rock and roll. Sure this record is totally Influenced by NYC’s original punks (Blondie, Ramones, Heartbreakers), 60s girl groups (The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las), with a drop of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground’s for the cools – The Carvels NYC have got it going on.

 

The Carvels used producer Freddie Katz, and had it mixed/mastered by Jim Diamond (White Stripes, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) so they stacked their cards up pretty good before hitting the studio but at least along with all the vital ingredients they remembered the Sax and stuck it front and center.  What’s on offer here is a whole bunch of sloppy Punk n roll old school playing without a care in the world, it’s pop songs with a tonne of melody and parking lot harmonies through the medium of punk rock 77 NYC style and songs like ‘My Little Troll’ is two minutes of fun with some sexy sax wailing in for a solo.  It’s also a bit racey and in a rush like on ‘Lonely Fantasy’ you keep wanting to shout ‘Trash’ because it’s that sleazy Dolls like trashy. It reminds me a bit of bands like the X-Ray Spex as well because they also saw the value of the saxophone is in the mix as a Rock and Roll essential.

They even manage to throw some shade on covid deniers and no maskers with the fantastic ‘Stay The Fuck Home’.  There should be a van rolling around every town in every country blasting this out from a hailer on the roof.  Nail head hit!

I’d put this in the same ballpark as the misfits project 1950 for style as they race through ‘Darling Where Are You’ in all its trashy sleazy splendor – It’s loud – its Rockin’ and it’s fun what else can you ask for in these strange times? There is time to slow things down and ‘Candy Says’ has a certain downtown about itas the band kick back and chill just for a moment.

They remember to throw in some handclaps but not one single bead of a cowbell which is disappointing. Hey, you can’t have everything so I’ll take this just as it is.  Big, loud, trashy, and sweet-sounding punk rock n roll NYC style. Job done.

Stream/buy Live at The Cutting Room HERE

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Author: Dom Daley

The DeRellas Interview Exclusive

The DeRellas Interview Exclusive
Having played the last couple of Rebellion Festivals and turning the Opera House into the DeRellaDome we thought it was time to fire some questions at founder and Bass player Timmy DeRella. When we spoke at the last Rebellion last August with one thing or another we never quite got together to have that chat.
As we leap into a brand new decade we finally catch up and all isn’t as it seems in camp DeRella with the ever-revolving Revolving door turning and another two new faces emerge with big changes in the band.  I’ll let Timmy fill you in…”As you know, I’m now fronting The DeRellas – which is probably something I should have done when Robbie left the band.  It’s a pity things didn’t work out with Joe, he’s a good guy, he has great style and we did some brilliant gigs together, but we had different ideas.  The new lineup is fab – we have Luca on lead guitar of course and a new rhythm guitarist – Marky T, formerly in London glam band The Bad Girls and more recently starring as Steve Jones in The Sex Pistols Experience  (he looks very fetching with a knotted hanky on his head, how could we say no..?!).  And I’m pleased to say that Steve Grainger (Chelsea) will be playing drums on the new album and hopefully playing a few gigs with us – true rock n roll.  So I might fall on my arse with the singing but it’ll be 100% the band I want it to be.”
So there you have it folks that’s where we are as of February 2020. Soooo, onto the questions, I originally had seeing as a whole bunch are now irrelevant.
Tell us when did you first pick up the bass and why the bass?
Not until I was 21 – I had tried to play drums and keyboards first, I just wanted to get a band started as quickly as possible.
You’ve put out a couple of albums on cd and vinyl and a few singles you always kept it real and never bowed down to going digital and kept true to releasing records.  Is it important for you to keep making records? And 7″ singles?
Vinyl rules but you have to be realistic about the future and about costs.   Our new single ‘Soho Hotel’ is currently on download only (check it out on CDBaby), but it will defo be on the shiny new vinyl album.  
Yourself and Luca have been the mainstays in the band how does the writing process go?
Luca and I just get together – I will have some lyrics or even just a title, he’ll have a guitar riff and we come up with songs.  We’ve always worked well together.  Sometimes some lines or a riff will be sitting around for a while until something clicks into place.  
The latest line up of the band is really strong and the last Rebellion Festival performance was by far the best I’ve ever seen you guys or any line ups that have performed under the band name. How do you see that performance?
Obviously the line up has changed since you asked me that question!   Billy’s joined The Godfathers and I’m now fronting the band.   Last year’s Rebellion was brilliant, but we can only get better.   
It’s a big old stage in the “DeRella Dome” that is the opera house but you guys made it feel intimate what other venues have you loved playing?
We’ve played some legendary venues – although one of our most mental nights was in an old garage in Liege!   Favourite places – Freakshow in Essen, 100 Club in London of course, Bannermans in Edinburgh, Wild at Heart in Berlin, Mondo Bizzaro in Rennes, the Wurlitzer in Madrid.. and I have to mention Rockaway Beach at the Hope & Anchor, Islington (the club night I run with my missis).  But it’s down to the people – the punters of course, and the owners and promoters who put their heart and their wallets on the line to keep a venue alive.  It’s tough and good places are closing all the time because of developers, local noise laws, etc..   Support your local venue, kids!
 
What’s next for the band? A new album?
Yep, the new album is well underway — hopefully out this summer.   The new songs sound brilliant.   We have a video out any day now for Soho Hotel, and we’ll be promoting the album in the second half of the year, but before that, we are booked for Scotland Calling in April and we’ll do a few dates around that.  And we’ll be back at Rebellion again of course.
Who would you say are your biggest influences musically and bass playing-wise?
Clash, Manics, Hanoi, Bauhaus, Banshees, Heartbreakers, Adam and the Ants, Lords of the New Church…  
You guys always look as if you’re having the best time onstage is it as much fun as it looks?
It has to be fun.   Like Viv Savage (Spinal Tap) says “have a good time all the time”
The last ep was your strongest work and ‘high rise’ is a great track are there many new tracks demo’d?
The new album is going to have more of a High Rise Supersize feel.   We got a little bit of stick for being political when High Rise came out, but it’s a tough world out there.  We just want people to have a voice, not take things lying down, to ‘stick it to the man’.  
That’s all for now from The DeRellas but rest assured we’ll be back for more when the record is ready for release until then check out the most excellent ‘Soho Hotel’ and we wish the band all the success and extend that to Billy and Joe.
Currently only available on download through CD Baby
Pic of Timmy courtesy of ‘David Newbold’

Gino And The Goons – Rip It Up (Slovenly Records)

Gino And The Goons – Rip It Up (Slovenly Records)

When is a new record not a new record? When it was Recorded back in 2017 might be regarded as such a thing.  It’s taken These Goons a few years to get it right (or so they say) Explaining that it only took well over a year, but in true Goon fashion they think they’ve finally figured out how to get a proper version of the super limited, custom made and long sold out third LP right!

Let us the listeners be the judge of that thank you very much would be the usual response.

Originally released in an edition of 300 copies on the band’s own SunWray Records label with photocopied artwork pasted onto garbage thrift store LP covers, the “Rip It Up” album is now ALMOST available to the masses on MADE IN THE USA vinyl, with digital mastering handled by Tim Warren at Crypt Records. Compare this new version to the only other digitally available tracks that were uploaded by a slobbering fan to Youtube, and prepare to have your asses handed to you and knocked two steps back! That’s the official line anyway from the band. From the opening bar of ‘Watch You Shine’ I knew I was hooked. Literally, it took about ten seconds to sit up, shut up and listen to what was unfolding through my speakers as these fucked up rock and rollers were causing a stir in my heart and sending my head spinning.  It’s like when I first heard the Dolls or what I imagine hearing the Stones kicking up a shit storm in some tiny club its like unbridled rock and roll has been let off the leash for the first time (which we all know isn’t true) and we are hearing some guitars and reckless vocals for the first time in our lives. This feeling doesn’t dissipate for the next thirty minutes.  Trust me I’m a Doctor.

By the time you get to the epic ‘Any Girl/Bad Stuff’ and you’re not convinced then maybe this rock and roll thing isn’t for you? Seriously maybe you have a head trauma injury or severe tinnitus or a lobotomy because a six-minute furious rock out that marries the good and the great is nothing short of spectacular.  Its got piano like little Richard, Guitar licks like Chuck Berry is in town and a vocal that’s part Iggy Part David Jo and the rhythm is relentless – I fuckin’ love it!

‘Outta Control’ is raw it’s rough it’s totally rockin’ and yeah it might fall apart in the blink of an eye it’s part Joneses part Heartbreakers its what Gunfire Dance might have sounded like had they grown up in the US of A but they’re cut from the same cloth I’m convinced of it.

If you’re waiting for that gentle slow dance number I guess ‘Let Loose’ isn’t going to be it you won’t find a slow dance in this one but you might find a healthy dose of Stooges vibe going on with songs entitled ‘So Far Out/Rip It Up’ and ‘Watch Your Back’ I guess you might have an inkling what these cats are up to So impressed was I that I had to dig out their back catalogue I needed to catch up and get my fix in one hit I know that can be a dangerous thing but so pure and unadulterated was the Rock and Roll I was happy to take the chance and the result is beautiful.  Follow suit kids and get a copy of Gino and the Goons its not something you’ll regret at all. Just do it.

*This pre-order is listed as coming out in July due to a Bandcamp limitation, but they’re gonna be unleashing this Budget Rock Masterpiece in early September. Until then, stream the fuck outta this Bandcamp exclusive, or BUY the damn download and add it to your devices.
Buy Gino & The Goons Here
Author: Dom Daley